[Malignant and non-malignant cartilaginous tumours of the larynx].

INTRODUCTION

Cartilaginous tumours of the larynx are rare. They usually involve cricoid cartilage, less frequently thyroid cartilage and other cartilages. The most significant clinical manifestations are hoarseness, dyspnea, dysphagia or a neck mass. On physical examination, tumour is found as a bulge with intact mucosa or a tumour situated in a part of the larynx also with fixation. CT scanning is the mainstay of radiographic imaging. The histopathologic diagnosis is made after the surgical excision. Prognosis for survival is good. The recurrences occur very often, also with malignant transformation and require laryngectomy.

MATERIAL: We presented 11 patients (including symptoms, involved cartilage, laryngoscopy examination, histopathologic diagnosis, treatment and the follow-up).

RESULTS

6 patients manifested hoarseness, 5 dyspnea, 3 dysphagia, 1 neck mass as the first symptom. In laryngoscopy a tumour with intact mucosa was situated in subglottis - 5 patients, in supraglottis - 2 patients and in half of the larynx with fixation - 4 patients. The majority of tumours involved the cricoid cartilage - in 9 cases, the rest arytenoid and epiglottic cartilage. The histopathology diagnosis were given after surgery, only in one case after biopsy. There were 7 patients with chondrosarcoma and four with chondroma. We did not observe lymph node or distant metastases. All patients were treated surgically. Follow-up of patients with chondrosarcoma were 5 to 17 years without recurrence. However, two recurrences of chondroma appeared to be chondrosarcomas and required laryngectomy.