The cause of cartilaginous lesions is unknown. It is felt that these lesions originate from either perichondrial connective tissue or from the body of cartilage. Inflammation is thought to trigger a metaplastic change in the branchial tissue while senile ossification is thought to bring about pluripotent cells that then undergo transformation to cartilaginous tumors. A relationship has also been described between radiation, asbestos, and Teflon exposure although this has not been adequately studied. In brief review of laryngeal histology, one can recall that both hyaline and elastic cartilage exist in this organ.
Hyaline cartilage is found is the cricoid, thyroid, and arytenoid cartilages.
It is composed of a homogenous, avascular matrix produced by chondrocytes that are surrounded by a capsule. These chondrocytes often exist in isogenous clusters. Elastic cartilage is found in the epiglottis, corniculate and cuneiform cartilages as well as the arytenoid apices. The obvious difference in the appearance is the elastic fibrils in the matrix. Approximately 200 cases of chondroma and chondrosarcoma of the larynx have been reported in the literature.