The exact incidence of chondrosarcoma is not known and earlier literature is likely to have underestimated the true incidence of chondrosarcomas because the distinction between chondroma and low - grade chondrosarcoma had not been well made. They are seven times as common in Caucasians as African Americans. Malignant lesions tend to increase with age, the average age of diagnosis at 66 years, ranging from the fifth to seventh decade, but they have been diagnosed over an age range of 33 - 91 years. There are no reported cases in the cuneiform, corniculate, or tichea cartilages. Observation of chondrosarcoma in the epiglottis disproves the previously held notion that chondrosarcoma occurs only in hyaline and not elastic cartilage.
Chondrosarcomas are almost always symptomatic.
The signs and symptoms at presentation depend on size and location. With cricoid lesions, there is progressive compromise of the subglottis producing hoarseness and dyspnea that can be abrupt in onset possibly requiring emergent tracheotomy. Dysphagia may also occur with cricoid lesions and is more likely to exist when the lesion arises from the posterior lateral cricoid. Lesions of the thyroid cartilage present as an asymptomatic neck mass. Interestingly, the first clinical sign of chondrosarcoma may be vocal cord paralysis that is not associated with other laryngeal or nonlaryngeal lesions.