Larynx, hypopharynx & trachea
Squamous cell carcinoma
Papillary squamous cell carcinoma
Author: Nat Pernick, M.D.
Last author update: 1 November 2013
Last staff update: 30 June 2022
Copyright: 2002-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Papillary squamous cell carcinoma
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Treatment | Gross description | Microscopic (histologic) description | Differential diagnosisCite this page: Pernick N. Papillary squamous cell carcinoma. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/larynxpapillaryscc.html. Accessed April 25th, 2024.
Definition / general
- Uncommon; exophytic growth pattern, features of carcinoma in situ plus foci of invasion
- Mean age in 60s
- Usually in larynx, oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and sinonasal tract
- Associated with HPV
- Relatively good prognosis; usually T2
- Difficult to determine invasion in biopsy specimens, although should consider invasive if clinically appreciable exophytic mass plus marked atypia, even without definitive stromal invasion
Treatment
- Surgery
Gross description
- Often solitary with exophytic or papillary growth; 2 mm to 4 cm
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Finger-like projections with fibrovascular cores or broad based bulbous growth with rounded projections and limited fibrovascular cores
- Overlying squamous epithelium is malignant; usually no / limited surface keratinization
Differential diagnosis
- Laryngeal papillomatosis:
- Bland epithelial proliferation with no / minimal atypia
- Verrucous carcinoma:
- Minimal atypia
