Why does RRP recur?
Many cases of RRP do not recur. It’s a once-only event, and it never comes back. But for many other patients, RRP tends to recur even after repeated surgery. Some individuals–even young children–have undergone hundreds of surgeries, though most do not. People whose disease has been dormant for twenty years have been reported to suddenly have a flare-up for no apparent reason. The exact reasons why Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis recurs when it does are unknown. Hormonal cycles (high estrogen in pregnancy, for example) may play a role for some people, but it is unlikely that this explains the whole picture. More research is needed.
