Candidiasis causing laryngeal leukoplakia

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Candida species can invade squamous mucosa and mimic the alterations seen in dysplasia. While pseudohyphae are frequently not seen on H&E stain, acute inflammatory cells infiltrating within the mucosa should alert one to the possibility of candidal infection, which can be confirmed with special stains. A diagnosis of dysplasia, especially low grade dysplasia, is discouraged in the face of infectious organisms.

References:

Yao A, Bates TJ, Pearson J, Robinson M, Ward C, Powell J.Laryngeal candidiasis: Our experience from sixty biopsy specimens. Clin Otolaryngol. 2018 Apr;43(2):729-732. doi: 10.1111/coa.13034. Epub 2017 Dec 27.