Laryngeal Cancer: Causes

Pathogenesis (development of disease)

In laryngeal carcinoma (cancer of the larynx), malignant transformation of the squamous epithelium occurs in more than 90% of cases. It usually develops because of previous damage to the larynx, called precancerous lesions. Precancerous lesions include dysplasia (precancerous lesion), leukoplakia (hyperkeratosis/excessive keratinization of the skin of the mucous membranes or the skin of the lips, which may be potentially dysplastic), papilloma (benign tumor arising from the uppermost layers of the skin or mucosa of an organism), and carcinoma in situ (CIS; literally, “cancer in situ”; early stage of an epithelial tumor without invasive tumor growth).

Etiology (causes)

Biographic causes

  • Occupations
    • Exposure to asbestos or tar/bitumen.
    • Exposure to aerosols containing sulfuric acid.
  • Socioeconomic factors – low socioeconomic status.

Behavioral causes

  • Consumption of stimulants
    • Alcohol
    • Tobacco (smoking, passive smoking)

Causes related to disease

  • Chronic laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx).
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (synonyms: GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease; gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD); gastroesophageal reflux disease (reflux disease); gastroesophageal reflux; reflux esophagitis; reflux disease; reflux esophagitis; peptic esophagitis) – inflammatory disease of the esophagus (esophagitis) caused by the abnormal reflux of acidic gastric juice and other gastric contents; consequences: Laryngitis (laryngitis); laryngeal carcinoma (cancer of the larynx) and many more.
  • HPV infections (human papillomavirus) (HPV status plays no role in laryngeal carcinoma as a prognostic factor).
  • Pachyderma – pathological thickening of the skin.
  • Leukoplakia – facultative precancerous condition (risk of degeneration is less than 30%); keratinization disorder manifested by whitish foci on the mucosa.
  • Papillomas – facultative precancerosis; usually benign tumor similar to the skin papillae (villous tumor).

Environmental pollution – intoxications (poisonings).

  • Occupational exposure to asbestos* or tar/bitumen.
  • Ionizing radiation (e.g. uranium* ).
  • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), e.g. benzo(a)pyrene.
  • Sulfur-containing aerosols, intensive and multi-year exposure (occupational disease list; BK list).
  • Dusts – cement dust, wood dust.

* Recognized as an occupational disease