Larynx Cancer
Larynx cancer begins in an organ located at the front of the neck called the larynx, also known as the voice box. The larynx allows you to talk and helps you breathe and swallow.
About Larynx Cancer
Most types of larynx cancer, also called laryngeal cancer, begin in the glottis, the part of the larynx that holds your vocal cords. Nearly all larynx cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, which begin in the flat, thin cells that line the walls of the organ.
Who’s at Risk?
Larynx cancer most often occurs in people over the age of 55. Men are four times more likely than women to get the disease. About 10,000 people are diagnosed with larynx cancer each year in the U.S.
Risk Factors
The following risk factors are known to increase the chance of developing the disease:
- Smoking cigarettes: Heavy smokers, especially those who drink alcohol, are at a much higher risk. Chewing smokeless tobacco also increases the risk.
- Alcohol: Heavy drinking increases the risk, especially for those who also smoke.
- Workplace hazards: Exposure to substances like sulfuric acid mist, nickel or asbestos.
- GERD: Damage to cells caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also known as heartburn, may increase the risk.
- Human papillomavirus (HPV)
Treatment
Radiation therapy is the usual treatment for larynx cancer. For early stage laryngeal cancer, radiation therapy may successfully destroy all of the cancerous cells. Radiation therapy is sometimes combined with surgery or chemotherapy.
If surgery is part of the treatment plan, your surgical oncologist may perform a laryngectomy, an operation to remove the larynx and nearby lymph nodes.
Some information on this page is provided by the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society.