Clinical outcome and comparison between squamous and non-squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx

<b>Background:</b> The various pathological types of non-squamous cell carcinomas (nSCCs) of the larynx accounted for about 5% laryngeal malignancies, but the knowledge regarding these pathological behaviors, therapeutic models and prognostic factors was limited. <b>Objectives:</b> To investigate the clinical characteristics and the survival outcomes of nSCCs of the larynx. <b>Material and methods:</b> A total of 106 patients diagnosed with laryngeal nSCC between 2003 and 2014 were retrospectively investigated from a cohort of 4,796 patients with laryngeal malignancies. <b>Results:</b> Spindle cell carcinoma, malignant salivary gland carcinoma, neuroendocrine carcinoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, and carcinosarcoma accounted for the majority of the nSCCs of the larynx. In laryngeal nSCCs (excluding non-Hodgkin lymphomas), there was no significant difference in overall survival (OS) by tumor subsite (<i>p</i> = .818), clinical-stage (<i>p</i> = .051) or T stage (<i>p</i> = .412), but the difference in OS by N stage was statistically significant (<i>p</i> = .001). Upon comparison of propensity score-matched groups, the OS was longer in SCCs of the larynx (<i>p</i> = .0004). <b>Conclusions and significance:</b> Primary nSCC of the larynx is rare, and its diagnosis depends on comprehensive immunohistochemical examination, as the clinical characteristics are non-specific compared with SCC. The overall prognosis of nSCC is relatively poor compared with that of SCC in the larynx.