Chondrosarcoma of the larynx: a case report

Chondrosarcomas of the larynx are rare cancers and are more frequently located at cricoid cartilage level. They are characterised by a low tendency to metastatic diffusion (low grade). The treatment of choice is surgery, which may be endoscopic or "open partial surgery", if extension of the cancer is limited. Prognosis is generally good. In this report, a case of low malignancy chondrosarcoma of the larynx is presented, which was treated surgically with a glottic-hypoglottic laryngectomy according to Serafini-Bartual. Chondrosarcoma of the larynx shows a slow and painless growth, the first symptom is often an ingravescent dysphonia. Laryngoscopy reveals tumefaction of the larynx, covered by intact mucosa. Computerized tomography imaging with contrast and magnetic resonance imaging defines not only coarse calcifications, pathognomonic of chondromatous neo-formations but also the relationship of the neoformation with the surrounding tissues. However, histology remains the gold standard for diagnostic purposes. Treatment is essentially surgical; it must allow eradication of the cancer between specific safety margins and, it must, at the same time, be functional, if the lesion does not extend beyond half of the cricoid circle and if histological grade is low.