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Neuroendocrine Carcinomas of the Larynx and Head and Neck: Challenges in Classification and Grading

  • Proceedings of The North American Society of Head and Neck Pathology Companion Meeting, March 18, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Abstract

Primary neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) of the larynx and head and neck are an uncommon and heterogeneous group of neoplasms categorized by the 2017 WHO Classification of Head and Neck Tumors as: (a) well-differentiated (WD-NEC), (b) moderately-differentiated (MD-NEC), and (c) poorly-differentiated (PD-NEC) with small cell and large cell types. The classification incorporates elements of differentiation and grading and closely correlates to the 5-year disease specific survival of 100, 52.8, 19.3 and 15.3% for each diagnostic category. These survival rates are based on historical data limited by the previous lack of standard pathologic diagnostic criteria. The classification has de-emphasized the use of the terms “carcinoid” and “atypical carcinoid” as diagnostic categories. The adoption of uniform pathologic criteria for the classification of NECs of the head and neck should enable the design of high quality studies in order to understand the molecular alterations of these neoplasms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomic Pathology, University Health Network, Toronto General Hospital, 200 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C4, Canada

    Bayardo Perez-Ordoñez

  2. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Bayardo Perez-Ordoñez

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  1. Bayardo Perez-Ordoñez
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Correspondence to Bayardo Perez-Ordoñez.

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This article is a review of published literature and does not contain any specific intervention or investigation of human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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Perez-Ordoñez, B. Neuroendocrine Carcinomas of the Larynx and Head and Neck: Challenges in Classification and Grading. Head and Neck Pathol 12, 1–8 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-018-0894-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-018-0894-6

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