[Primary adenocarcinomas of the larynx].

Adenocarcinomas of the larynx are rare. They may arise primarily, but can also be of metastatic origin. The tissue of the first biopsy is often insufficient to assume one of these two possibilities with a probability high enough for designing a therapeutic concept. In two cases of laryngeal adenocarcinomas, large series of laryngeal sections were made. With these sections, we were able to show that some additional histologic criteria ascertained thereby, will contribute towards a safer decision for or against a primary adenocarcinoma. Special attention was given to the varying grades of differentiation and modes of growth. Adenomatous structures, which may represent the matrix of the tumour, and premalignant stages, such as dysplasia or in situ carcinoma, were also looked for. Whenever the decision primary versus metastatic growth is clinically relevant, additional biopsies from the tumour's neighbourhood are, therefore, recommended.