[Laryngeal chondrosarcoma of low grade of malignancy. Report of a case located on thyroid cartilage].

Abstract

Cartilaginous tumors of the larynx are rare. Only a 2-5% of all chondrosarcomas arise on head and neck area while the laryngeal forms represent less than 1% of the malignant neoplasms in that location. Laryngeal chondrosarcoma is three times more frequent in men than in women with average age of presentation about the 6th - 7th decades. Most of them are originated on cricoid (70-75%) followed by the thyroid cartilage (10-20%) as in the case that we are reporting. Its growth often is very slow with delayed clinic being hoarseness, dyspnea and dysphagia the most common symptoms. Laryngeal chondrosarcomas use to be tumors with low-grade of malignancy and their elective treatment is surgery preserving the laryngeal function. Local and late recurrences are frequent and the definitive diagnosis is the anatomopathological exam.