Laryngeal carcinoma in a 13-year-old child

Malignant tumors of the larynx are rare in children and adolescent. Usually these patients are diagnosed in late stages. Numerous factors contribute towards a late diagnosis of laryngeal malignancy in childhood. These include rarity, the similarity of its early symptoms to those of other benign, common childhood condition as well as the relative difficulty encountered during pediatric laryngeal examination. Controversy exists regarding the predisposing factors of these childhood cancers. Contemporary reports indicate that most pediatric malignant laryngeal tumors tend to be derived from mesodermal tissue contrasted with earlier reports which emphasized its relationship with the radiation therapy treatment to benign lesions. We believe that these cases are of sufficient interest when they occur to warrant reporting since the consequences of late diagnosis in these can be serious. We present a case of a 13-year-old tracheostomized boy with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx.