MEDizzy - A 4-year-old boy presents with multiple laryngeal squamous

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Head and Neck

A 4-year-old boy presents with multiple laryngeal squamous papillomas. Obtaining a history, you discover this boy has had the same types of lesions removed in the past, but they have now recurred. Which of the following viruses is most closely associated with this boy’s condition?

ExplanationTumors of the larynx may be reactive proliferations or neoplastic growths. The laryngeal nodule is a common abnormality formed as a reactive process to excessive use; as such it may be found in singers and is called a “singer’s nodule.” These nodules are solitary, produce hoarseness, and histologically, reveal a polyp consisting of fibrosis, dilated vascular spaces, and myxomatous degeneration of the stroma. Laryngeal neoplasms may be either benign or malignant. Squamous papillomas are benign neoplasms that occur in two clinical forms. One form is typically solitary and occurs in adults (solitary squamous papilloma), while the other form is multiple and occurs in children (juvenile papillomatosis). The latter form is associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) and may recur locally after excision. Malignant neoplasms of the larynx are most often squamous cell carcinomas.