Abstract
Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the larynx is an uncommon malignancy. We reviewed 308 laryngeal cancers seen over an 18-year period at Kurashiki Central Hospital and found five cases of mucoepidermoid carcinoma (1.6%). This tumor is difficult to diagnose histologically from biopsy specimens and is often initially diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. The true incidence of this tumor could be higher than is believed because of frequent misdiagnosis as squamous cell carcinoma. Two of the five cases at our hospital were reported as squamous cell carcinomas based on biopsy results. Surgical treatment was performed after preoperative radiotherapy. Total laryngectomy was performed in four cases and extirpation of the tumor by laryngomicrosurgery was performed in one case which was of the supraglottic type (T1). Our clinicopathological study of the efficiency of radiotherapy revealed that this tumor responds poorly to radiation treatment. The treatment of choice is surgery. This tumor is classified histologically as either low-grade malignancy or highgrade malignancy. The prognosis is relatively good in cases of low-grade malignancy and poor in cases of high-grade malignancy. All five cases of the cases evaluated in the present study were high-grade malignancy.
