Tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia and long-term prognosis for carcinoma of the larynx.

Tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia (TATE) has been previously reported to be associated with a favorable prognosis for a variety of carcinomas, including head and neck cancer. We have examined this relationship in a series of 104 patients with laryngeal cancer who were observed for 5 years or more. Patients were followed up for a minimum of 5 years or until death. The original laryngeal biopsy histologic slides were examined and graded for TATE. Tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia was absent in 73 of the 104 biopsy specimens, and 25 of these 73 patients died directly of laryngeal carcinoma within 5 years. In all, 31 patients had TATE and only 3 subsequently died of laryngeal carcinoma within 5 years (P = 0.009, chi-square test). It appears, therefore, that TATE is associated with a good long-term prognosis for laryngeal carcinoma.