What is the evidence that gastroesophageal reflux is involved in the etiology of laryngeal cancer?

Abstract

After three decades of interest, there is still no unequivocal evidence for the role of reflux in the etiology of laryngeal cancer, whether in smokers or in nonsmokers.

The Role of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux as a Risk Factor in Laryngeal Cancer: A Preliminary Report

“…The mostly highly supported theory for the causal role between LPR and laryngeal cancer is that chronic and repetitive chemical stimulation of gastric acid reflux leads to damage and changes of the laryngeal mucosa (12). This theory is especially supported by research showing that the laryngeal mucosa is much more susceptible to gastric acid than the esophageal mucosa (13).…”

“…It is also known that bile, which is included in gastric contents, overexpresses COX-2, which can cause esophageal cancer. It has been suggested that this might also contribute to the development of laryngeal cancer (12). This theory is also supported by an article reporting that achlorhydric patients who have undergone a total gastrectomy have a higher incidence of laryngeal cancer than patients with simple indigestion (15).…”

Diagnosis and management of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease

“…Other conditions such as otalgia, otitis media, sinusitis, dental injury, halitosis, glottic or subglottic stenosis and carcinoma of the aerodigestive tract are also believed by some to be related to LPR [3,10,[17][18][19][20][21], whereas others have failed to find evidence for the role of reflux in some of the etiologies [22].…”

The importance of comorbidity on the survival of patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

“…Pušenje cigareta, konzumiranje žestokih alkoholnih pića, izloženost aerozagađenjima su činioci koji mogu da utiču na razvoj maligne bolesti larinksa [16][17][18].…”

“…U studiji kojom je obuhvaćeno 10.000 pacijenata s karcinomom larinksa [27] gastroezofagusni refluks je pronađen kod 55% obolelih pušača i kod 48% onih koji ne puše.…”