title: Terminology and classification of neuroendocrine neoplasms of the larynx.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the history and literature on neuroendocrine neoplasms of the larynx and discuss the terminology and classification of these tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Contemporary review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Published journal articles identified through PubMed and conference proceedings were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neuroendocrine neoplasms of the larynx include both epithelial (carcinomas) and neural-type lesions (paragangliomas).The nomenclature of these tumors has changed quite a bit over time, but recently, clearer categories have emerged that are biologically meaningful. They can overlap clinically and histologically so that segregation into the clinically relevant subtypes can be difficult, but it is extremely important to do so as they have a wide range of behaviors going from benign to rapidly fatal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neuroendocrine neoplasms of the larynx can be clearly categorized into the five tumor types: typical carcinoid, atypical carcinoid, small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, and paraganglioma. These have concrete biologic and clinical significance and clearly dictate patient treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Alfio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferlito
authors.forename: Douglas R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Gnepp
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rinaldo
authors.forename: Kenneth O
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Devaney
authors.forename: Carl E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Silver
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Travis
mesh_terms: D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology*; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000473:pathology; D009626:Terminology as Topic