Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the larynx. A clinicopathological study of 11 cases with review of the literature.

A series of 11 cases of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the larynx is presented. The neoplasm is uncommon and the present series has been selected from 872 primary malignant neoplasms of the larynx evaluated at the Section of Pathology of ENT Department of Padua University from January 1975 to December 1979. The median age of the patients was 59 years. The most common location was the epiglottis. The tumors were classified on the basis of cellular differentiation, and common and/or uncommon pathologic features were recorded. Differential diagnosis must be made from several neoplasms, in particular from squamous cell carcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma. The treatment of choice is surgery. The prognosis is better than that of the commoner squamous carcinoma and depends both upon the stage and the histologic grading.