Histological Appearances and Nuclear DNA Content of Verrucous Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx

Abstract

Of the 12 cases of verrucous squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx encountered since 1968 at the Department of Otolaryngology of Padua University (including the Verona Section) and the Department of Pathologic Anatomy of the University of Trieste, three are reported, together with an investigation of the nuclear DNA content of the tumour cells. It is suggested that such a study may assist with early detection of verrucous carcinoma. The laryngeal localization of the neoplasm has been evidenced only in some centres. The difficulties in establishing a correct diagnosis for this variant of squamous cell carcinoma are emphasized and the pathomorphological features, as well as the microscopic and macroscopic appearances, are discussed. The prognosis is excellent and the therapy of choice must be only surgical, as radiation has not only proven ineffective, but in some cases has induced anaplasia, leading to a rapid dissemination of the tumour.

Reliability of Incision Biopsy for Diagnosis of Oral Verrucous Carcinoma: A Multivariate Clinicopathological Study

“…VC unlike conventional SCC exhibited cells with S-phase confined to basal layers. Flow cytometry confirms that it is a diploid lesion unlike SCC which is an aneuploid lesion [21].…”

Oral verrucous lesions: Controversies in diagnosis and management

“…Some authors describe an invasive growth with disconnected islands and groups of invading tumour cells and therefore a capacity to demonstrate metastasis 16 and described sporadic cases of metastatic VC, while others insist that VC is locally invasive and cannot metastasize. 2 Regional lymph node involvement is uncommon in VC, while adjacent structures are often involved as it often acquires large dimensions during tumour progression. 17 The reported rate of VC among all types of squamous cell carcinoma is 2e9%, 18 while it comprises approximately 3% of all primary invasive carcinomas of the oral mucosa.…”

“…By flow cytometry, VC is a diploid lesion; on the contrary, the conventional squamous cancer often shows aneuploidy and genomic instability. 2 This study aims to discuss the controversy surrounding diagnosis of various oral verrucous lesions and their treatment outcomes.…”

Verrucous Carcinoma of the Temporal Bone and Maxillary Antrum: Two Unusual Presentations of a Rare Tumor

“…The resemblance of the epithelial component of VC to normal squamous epithelium, lacking the usual cytological criteria of malignancy, exposes the diagnostic importance of the characteristic macroscopic appearance of VC as a superficially growing and fungating papillomatous mass with well-demarcated borders [1]. Extensive cytometric [2,25,26] and immunohistological [27,28] studies were aimed at defining the morphological features and molecular profile of VC in more detail to allow a reliable differentiation from its precursor lesion, verrucous hyperplasia, on the one hand, and well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, on the other. Unfortunately, the results of the above mentioned studies are equivocal and not useful in the clinical setting.…”