Adjuvant and Novel Treatment of Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a rare benign neoplasm of the respiratory tract caused by human papillomavirus types 6 and 11. Surgical removal of the papilloma by microdebridement or laser is the current standard of care, but in most cases the disease recurs and patients require repeated surgical intervention. Over time, repeated procedures can lead to complications such as significant vocal cord scarring and laryngeal stenosis. There is therefore an urgent need for adjuvant treatments or alternative therapies that can control the disease or prevent recurrence, but unfortunately there is currently no known universally effective adjuvant therapy. Challenges for evaluating the effectiveness of adjuvant treatment in RRP include variable success rates in patients, the highly unpredictable underlying disease process, and potential for side effects. The current adjuvant treatment and novel approaches for RRP are presented.