Abstract
Primary laryngeal chondrosarcoma is a very rare tumor. We report our experience with primary chondrosarcoma of the arytenoid cartilage in a 64-year-old male which required 14 years from awareness of hoarseness until definitive diagnosis. After abnormal calcification was discovered in a plain X-p taken of the neck in a separate matter, the patient was referred to our department for examination. At the initial visit, a bulky mass and vocal cord immobilization beneath the left lateral arytenoid mucosa were observed by laryngeal fiberscope and the sound of respiratory stenosis was audible in the larynx. CT scan revealed a mass lesion accompanied by bulky and internally heterogeneous calcification proliferating from the left cricoid cartilage toward the median. MRI revealed a mass lesion showing a mosaic pattern of low-signal periphery in the T1 weighted image and high-signal periphery in the T2 weighted image. Suspecting a cartilaginous tumor, we removed the submucosal mass by laryngofissure approach. This was diagnosed histopathologically as a grade I chondrosarcoma. No further treatment was conducted and at present there has been no recurrence after 4 years.
Our search of reports in Japan found 33 cases of this type, including our own. There have been no reported deaths in Japan from a mass of this kind, and it seems acceptable to first attempt a larynx-preserving therapy.
