Abstract
Chondroma of the larynx is known to be very rare. Cartilaginous tumors respond to neither radiation therapy nor chemotherapy, therefore surgical excision is the general treatment. We present two follow up cases of chondroma of larynx originating in the cricoid cartilage.
Case 1 was a 61-year-old man who was incidentally found to have a laryngeal tumor when he underwent surgery for an epiglottic cyst in 2001. A CT scan showed a mass at the cricoid cartilage level. We performed laryngeal microsurgery and found a submucosal mass in the subglottic area. We biopsied the mass and the pathological diagnosis was chondroma. We followed up on him and there has been no evidence of enlargement.
Case 2 was a 68-year-old woman who presented with a one-year history of increasing hoarseness. CT and MRI imaging showed a mass involving 2⁄3 of the cricoid cartilage. An open biopsy was performed and the tumor was pathologically identified as a cartilaginous tumor. It was difficult to distinguish between chondroma and condrosarcoma. We explained that if the tumor was chondrosarcoma, there was the possibility of metastasis during an observation period and if she choose immediate radical resection her QOL would decrease considerably. Based on this information she selected to hold off surgery and accept a period of observation. There has been no evidence of enlargement but we need to continue following her closely.
