Chondrosarcoma of the Thyroid Cartilage

Objectives: In the present case report, we describe a rare laryngeal chondrosarcoma of the thyroid cartilage in a woman to emphasize the specific clues that can lead the clinician to an early and accurate diagnosis. Methods: The clinical course of a 49-year-old female is presented and discussed. The up-to-date literature on the diagnosis, clinical behaviour, follow-up and treatment of this tumour is reviewed. Results and Conclusions: Laryngeal chondrosarcoma of the thyroid cartilage is a rare entity, especially in women. It is a slowly growing tumour easily confused with benign chondroma. The symptomatology depends on the pattern of growth. Hoarseness, dyspnoea, dysphagia and palpable neck mass are the symptoms most frequently encountered. A significant minority of the patients have no formal complaints. Special precautions during tissue sampling enable a reliable histological confirmation. Calcification within the cartilage in the CT should also alert the clinician to a possible chondrosarcoma. Organ preservation procedures are feasible and curative in early-stage disease.