Small Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx: A Case Report

The larynx is one of the common sites for extrapulmonary small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Although these neoplasms are infrequent, accounting for about 0.5% of all primary laryngeal carcinomas, they are not as rare as once believed. The presence of metastatic disease or a neck node in a patient with a small laryngeal tumor should alert the clinician to the possibility of a neuroendocrine tumor. We present the case of a 48-year-old male heavy smoker presenting with a rapidly enlarging left-sided upper deep cervical lymph node 3 × 4 cm in diameter, of 3 months duration. Fibro-optic examination of the larynx revealed a small lesion on the laryngeal surface of the epiglottis. The diagnostic and therapeutic processes are outlined and the patient is free of disease after 1 year of follow-up. http://www.entnet.org/journal/casereports/OTO-26.pdf/