## Histological Types of Laryngeal Carcinoma **Key Point:** Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) accounts for approximately 90–95% of all laryngeal malignancies, making it by far the most common type. ### Distribution of Laryngeal Carcinomas | Histological Type | Frequency | Key Features | | --- | --- | --- | | Squamous cell carcinoma | 90–95% | Most common; associated with smoking and alcohol | | Adenocarcinoma | 2–5% | Arises from mucous glands; worse prognosis | | Small cell carcinoma | <2% | Neuroendocrine; aggressive; high metastatic potential | | Verrucous carcinoma | <1% | Variant of SCC; low-grade, locally invasive | | Undifferentiated carcinoma | Rare | Poor prognosis | **High-Yield:** SCC of the larynx is strongly associated with tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption. The combination of both agents has a synergistic carcinogenic effect. **Clinical Pearl:** While adenocarcinoma is rare in the larynx, it carries a worse prognosis than typical SCC due to delayed diagnosis and deeper invasion at presentation. **Mnemonic:** **SAVE** — **S**quamous (most common), **A**denocarcinoma (rare, bad prognosis), **V**errucous (low-grade variant), **E**ndocrine/small cell (aggressive). [cite:Robbins 10e Ch 16] 
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