[Adenoid-cystic carcinoma of the larynx (author's transl)]

Report on 5 cases of adenoidcystic carcinoma of the larynx and review of the literature, containing about 60 further reports. About 80% of these tumors arise in the subglottice laryngo-tracheal transition region, 20% in the ventricular cord and the epiglottis. The vocal cords containing no mucus glands are never the origin of adenoid cystic carcinomas. These tumors grow under an intact mucosa and reach very often an enormous extension until dyspnoea, dysphagia and recurrent never paresis lead to diagnosis. The clinical course of these tumors ist not preditable--even not by their histological structure. In some cases the outcome is rapidely fatal by local growth and metastases, in others a many year long survival can be reached, but there exists no reliable report on a "cured" adenoid cystic carcinoma of the larynx. By radical surgery only better results can be expected. Irradiation produces long lasting remissions in some cases.