Precancerous lesions of the larynx: Clinical and pathologic correlations and prognostic aspects

Background. Medical literature on the development of malignancy shows wide‐ranging limitations depending on the criteria considered, but all authors agree that the presence of dysplasia in the sample is an important prognostic sign. Method. This is a retrospective study of 248 patients controlled and treated at the ENT and Pathology Departments of the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona between 1981 and 1991 for larynx lesions. Biopsy studies of the following pathologic entities were carried out: keratosis, chronic inflammation, and papilloma of the adult. The degree of dysplasia present in each sample was assessed. Results. The overall percentage of malignancy was 15.6% in this series. Malignancy developed in 8.7% of the cases without dysplasia and in 31% (p < 0.0001) with dysplasia. The groups were correlated with gender, age, and smoking habit. The presence of epithelial dysplasia is an important prognostic factor. The risk of malignant transformation increases if the dysplasia occurs in smokers.