Laryngeal keratosis and subsequent carcinoma

The frequency with which carcinoma develops in laryngeal keratoses is a controversial subject. A study of 92 cases of laryngeal keratosis with a minimum of five years' follow-up resulted in identification of three patients (3.26%) who developed laryngeal carcinoma. A reviews of the literature reveals that, in series of keratoses defined by stringent pathologic criteria, subsequent laryngeal carcinoma develops in 3.33%-4.31%. These findings support a low but predictable frequency of conversion to malignancy in laryngeal keratosis. A grading system for keratosis is presented and discussed with reference to clinicopathologic correlation.