Well-Differentiated Spindle Cell Liposarcoma of the Larynx in a Patient With a History of a Benign Laryngeal Lesion: A Case Report

Liposarcomas of the larynx are an extremely rare occurrence. Though they are malignant, their presentation in the larynx may mimic benign conditions; therefore, diagnosis requires histologic evaluation. Our case represents the second known case of laryngeal well-differentiated spindle cell liposarcoma. The patient, a 74-year-old man, presented with dysphagia for two months with a history of a benign laryngeal lesion removed many years prior at another facility. His examination and operative evaluation were initially consistent with a recurrent internal laryngocele, but after pathologic evaluation, the diagnosis of well-differentiated spindle cell liposarcoma was made based on the histologic features as well as cluster of differentiation 34 (CD34) positivity, amplification of murine double minute-2 (MDM2) by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), retained retinoblastoma (RB) protein expression, and negativity for signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6). Treatment of these masses typically involves wide local excision, and because they have high rates of recurrence, postoperative surveillance is necessary as well. From this case, it can be concluded that liposarcomas of the larynx should be part of the differential diagnosis of laryngeal masses, even when they appear benign. Due to their rarity, research for risk factors as well as the prognosis of laryngeal liposarcomas is limited, and further studies are needed to better understand these topics and how they affect the diagnosis and treatment of laryngeal liposarcomas.