[Clinical and molecular biology studies of laryngeal papillomatosis]

Recurrent laryngeal papillomatosis is a benign neoplastic disease which is probably caused by but at least associated with the Human Papilloma Virus. It can be of significant importance for the affected patients because of its recurrent clinical course. A wide variety of therapeutic measures have been described including the surgical removal either with conventional instruments or laser. Malignancies developing from papillomas have been reported.

The clinical courses of all 95 patients who have been treated for laryngeal papillomatosis since 1960 were analysed retrospectively. The two most common forms of treatment, surgical removal either conventionally or with the use of the laser, were compared. "Hot-start" polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot hybridization were used to detect HPV-DNA. The case reports of all patients developing cancer of the larynx are included.

Laryngeal papillomatosis is a disease of all ages, more often first diagnosed before age 10 or after age 30. Puberty had no effect on the clinical course. However, the rate of complications such as tracheostomy and glottic webs was significantly reduced after laser surgery. HPV-DNA was found in 10 of 11 samples. Squamous cell carcinoma subsequently developed in four cases, three of which occurred almost simultaneously and were therefore not included.

The term juvenile laryngeal papillomatosis should be replaced by recurrent respiratory papillomatosis. The occurrence of squamous cell carcinomas in patients previously treated for papillomas underlines the need for repeated histological studies. The surgical treatment remains the mainstay in the management of laryngeal papillomatosis. The laser surgical technique is superior to conventional removal. Using the most sensitive and specific methods presently available, HPV-DNA can be detected in a large percentage of laryngeal papillomas.