Approach to small biopsies in the larynx

Abstract

Small biopsies in the larynx can make a definitive diagnosis challenging due to the sampling or tangential sectioning. The differential diagnosis can be divided into mucosal lesions (squamous papillomas, intraepithelial dysplasia, and invasive squamous cell carcinoma) or submucosal lesions (vocal cord polyps/nodules, amyloidosis, granular cell tumor, rhabdomyoma, neuroendocrine neoplasms, salivary gland tumors, and cartilaginous tumors). Diagnostic criteria (both morphologic and immunohistochemical) are reviewed to arrive at a diagnosis even on small biopsy.