Multiple primary tumors in patients with laryngeal squamous cell hyperplasia.

We analyzed retrospectively the case histories of 204 patients with squamous cell hyperplasia of the larynx for the occurrence of multiple primary tumors. All patients were grouped according to Kleinsasser's 1963 classification of laryngeal pathology. Patients with simple hyperplasia (class I) had a low risk for developing a coincidental primary tumor. The rist was 7% in patients with hyperplasia with atypia (class II) and was 15% in patients with carcinoma in situ (class III). This frequency is similar to that of our patients with glottic cancer (13%). Although no coincidental tumors were found in our female patients, the small number of females in our series made the differences in frequency between males and females not significant. This is still of interest to us because our previous study of patients with proven glottic cancers also showed that no second tumors occurred in our female patients. This difference was statistically significant. In our present study, all second tumors occurred metachronously. Our findings indicate that all patients with class III laryngeal disease (carcinoma in situ) should undergo the same aggressive search for second primary tumors, as do patients with invasive glottic cancers. This means that panendoscopy or bronchoscopy should be done at the initial work-up and also at periodic intervals during the follow-up period. We have also found that patients lacking immunoglobulin allotype Km(1) have to be followed aggressively, since these patients are at high risk of developing multiple tumors. A possible exception can be made for female patients.