title: Immunohistochemical and HPV-related features of laryngeal adenosquamous carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) of the head and neck is a rare malignancy characterized by loco-regional and distant aggressiveness. At histology, ASC reveals two distinct, juxtaposed components, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and true adenocarcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The immunohistochemical expression of AE3, CK19 and CAM5.2, and HPV infection was tested in a case of laryngeal ASC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient had no regional lymph node metastases, but developed a recurrence in neck soft tissues shortly after primary radical surgery. The laryngeal surgical specimen had the typical morphological features of ASC. The tumor's squamous and glandular components were both strongly and diffusely immunoreactive for AE3 and CK19, whereas CAM5.2 selectively stained only the gland-like part. We found no high- or low-risk HPV DNA (28 genotypes) in the specimens. The patient underwent salvage extended radical neck dissection and received postoperative radio-chemotherapy. At 4-month follow-up control, neck recurrence was found. Palliative chemotherapy was instituted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An accurate histological and immunohistochemical diagnosis is mandatory to differentiate ASC from conventional SCC. Radical surgical excision is recommended for laryngeal ASC. Adjuvant postoperative therapy is administered in most cases, but there are no widely accepted indications for these treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Otolaryngology Section, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. Electronic address: andrea.lovato.3@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lovato
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Otolaryngology Section, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Staffieri
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine DIMED, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine DIMED, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cappellesso
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barzon
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Otolaryngology Section, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marchese-Ragona
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Otolaryngology Section, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ottaviano
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Otolaryngology Section, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Gino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marioni
mesh_terms: D018196:Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000502:physiology*