Primary combined squamous and small cell carcinoma of the larynx: a case report and review of the literature

Primary combined squamous and small cell carcinoma is a rare type of laryngeal carcinoma, and only 18 cases have been reported in the literature. Here we report a 70-year-old male patient presenting with transglottic carcinoma, which was composed of both small cell carcinoma and squamous cell. The patient underwent total laryngectomy with bilateral modified neck dissection and consolidation radiotherapy. We found metastasis in right adrenal gland 16 months after initial diagnosis and the patient died of multi-organ metastase in abdomen. Therefore, this type of laryngeal carcinoma might be a great aggressive tumor. More rational treatment regimen and molecule-targeted drugs to such carcinoma should be developed in the future.