Benign tumors are not cancer. They do not spread to other parts of the body and are seldom a threat to life. Benign tumors can usually be removed, but certain types may return. Malignant tumors are cancer. They can invade and destroy nearby healthy tissues and organs.
Cancer cells can also break away from the tumor and enter the bloodstream and the lymphatic system.
That is how cancer spreads to other parts of the body. This spread is called metastasis. Cancer of the larynx is also called laryngeal cancer. It can also spread to the back of the tongue, other parts of the throat and neck, the lungs, and sometimes other parts of the body. When cancer of the larynx spreads, it is called metastatic laryngeal cancer.