Risk prediction and malignant transformation in vocal cord leukoplakia based on electronic laryngoscope

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Objective:To investigate the predictive risk factors of vocal fold leukoplakia under electronic laryngoscope and influential factors of malignancy. Methods:A total of 163 cases with vocal cord leukoplakia were analyzed retrospectively. The relationship between the clinical features, including site, size, whether involving the anterior commissure, morphology and pathological grade were analyzed. Then the associations with malignant transformation in vocal cord leukoplakia were evaluated by using multiple Logistic regression analysis. Results:There were one side lesions in 96 cases（58.9%）, and bilateral vocal cord lesions in 67 cases（41.1%）. The vocal cord leukoplakia with extension less than half of the vocal cord was observed in 135 cases（82.8%） and beyond half of the vocal cord was seen in 28 cases（17.1%）. Lesions involving the anterior commissure were 42 cases（25.8%）, without involving the anterior commissure were 121 cases（74.2%）. According to morphological features, 82 patients（50.3%） had a superficial type, followed by exophytic type（n=65, 39.9%）, and ulcerative type（n=16, 9.8%）. The pathological type included squamous epithelial simple hyperplasia in 65 cases（39.9%）, mild hyperplasia in 44 cases（27.0%）, moderate hyperplasia in 31 cases（19.0%）, severe hyperplasia and carcinoma in situ in 23 cases（14.1%）. 140 cases（85.9%） were in low risk group, and 23 cases（14.1%） were in high risk group. The site of the vocal fold leukoplakia was not associated with the pathological grade（P>0.05）, whether the vocal fold leukoplakia range exceeds 1/2 of the total length of the vocal fold, and whether involving the anterior commissure were associated with the pathological grade（both P<0.05）. There were statistically significant differences between the pathological grade and the morphological type（P<0.01）. Ten cases developed larynx cancer, the ratio of malignant transformation was 6.1%. The multiple Logistic regression showed that whether involving the anterior commissure and histopathological classification were the risk factors of malignant transformation in vocal cord eukoplakia. Conclusion:The pathological results of vocal cord leukoplakia can be predicted by laryngoscopy features. Involving of the anterior commissure and histopathological classification are the risk factors of malignant transformation in vocal cord leukoplakia.