The larynx is used to talk, swallow, and breath. In the U.S., over 12,000 people a year are diagnosed with cancer of the larynx. Most of those diagnosed are over the age of 55.
Laryngeal cancer is four times more common in men than women.
African-Americans are also more commonly affected than Caucasians. Many factors are involved in the development of cancer. The most dominant risk factor for cancer of the larynx is cigarette smoke. The risk is proportional to the amount of exposure to tobacco smoke. Smokers who also drink alcohol heavily are at an increased risk for the development of laryngeal cancer.