Laryngeal chondrosarcoma: a report of five cases

Laryngeal chondrosarcoma is a rare tumor that is known for its indolent course and its tendency to ultimate recurrence. According to the actually adopted classification, 95% of the reported cases are of a low-grade type. A consensus recognizing conservative surgery as the most reasonable treatment for these lesions has almost been reached. However, fear of jeopardizing the patency of the laryngeal airway as a result of a wide cricoid excision and also the fear of repeated recurrences could still push some surgeons to perform a total laryngectomy in the case of laryngeal chondrosarcoma. After a brief review of the literature, we will present five cases of laryngeal chondrosarcoma that were treated and followed at the Clermont-Ferrand University Medical Center over the last two decades. These cases exhibit many of the clinicopathologic features of the tumor and illustrate the pitfalls of diagnosis and treatment. In light of this presentation, we will discuss the widely accepted management as well as a newly suggested treatment modality for this disease.