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Laryngeal Cancer · Understanding the disease

Where in the world is laryngeal cancer most common?

Reviewed: 8 November 2026 By: Xiangpeng Liu, MD Topic: Laryngeal Cancer Answer length: short, citable
Quick answer

Laryngeal Cancer is not evenly distributed: the highest-burden regions are Caribbean & Cuba, Eastern Europe and Southern & Western Europe. In 2022 there were 189,191 new laryngeal cancer cases worldwide worldwide (ASR 1.9 per 100,000 (men 3.5, women 0.4); 165,794 cases in men and 23,397 in women), with marked country-to-country variation driven by local exposures such as tobacco, areca nut, oncogenic viruses, ultraviolet radiation and occupational carcinogens.

In detail

The regional pattern matters clinically. A patient from Caribbean & Cuba may present with a different risk-factor profile and a different stage distribution than a patient from a low-incidence country, which changes both the differential diagnosis and the pretreatment work-up.

All incidence figures on this site are age-standardised rates or absolute case counts from GLOBOCAN 2022 and its subsite analyses. They describe populations, not individual risk.

  • Caribbean & Cuba: Cuba had the highest estimated male ASR worldwide (14.8/100,000) in the GLOBOCAN 2022 comparison, reflecting historical heavy smoking and alcohol exposure.
  • Eastern Europe: Moldova (12.2) and Romania (10.3) had the next-highest male ASRs; Hungary, Slovakia, Lithuania, Belarus and Russia also carry high burdens, and Lithuania and Belarus show rising male trends.
  • Southern & Western Europe: Spain has long reported some of the highest regional rates (approaching 20/100,000 in some series), with France, Italy and Portugal (Azores registry ASR 11.8) also elevated.
  • Brazil & parts of South America: Brazil recorded 7,191 male cases in 2022 and is among the countries with the largest absolute burden; Colombia shows an increasing male trend.
  • South Asia: India has a substantial burden linked to bidi smoking and smokeless tobacco; the Karul registry reported male ASR 10.6.
  • China: China had the largest absolute number of male cases (27,169 in 2022), so Chinese head and neck units see high volumes of both partial and total laryngectomy.

What this means in practice: this answer is part of the “Understanding the disease” section of the Laryngeal Cancer topic. If you are comparing treatment options, also read how to compare a second opinion and which records to send.

Other common questions about laryngeal cancer

See all 14 questions in this topic →

Sources for this answer

  1. Global incidence of lip, oral cavity, and pharyngeal cancers by subsite in 2022 CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians · 2026 · Subsite-level estimates for 185 countries; the basis of the regional atlas on this site.
  2. Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN 2022) International Agency for Research on Cancer / WHO · 2022 · Source of worldwide and country-level incidence and mortality estimates.
  3. Global Cancer Facts & Figures, 5th Edition (GLOBOCAN 2022 tables) American Cancer Society · 2024
  4. Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN 2022) International Agency for Research on Cancer / WHO · 2022 · Source of worldwide and country-level incidence and mortality estimates.
  5. Global Cancer Facts & Figures, 5th Edition (GLOBOCAN 2022 tables) American Cancer Society · 2024
  6. Nivolumab Risk Management Plan — epidemiological characteristics of SCCHN (GLOBOCAN 2022 summary) European Medicines Agency · 2025 · Reports the combined 947,211 head and neck cancer cases in 2022 and regional ASRs.
  7. Global burden and international trends in laryngeal cancer incidence (GLOBOCAN 2022 and CI5-XII) Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology / registry-based review · 2025

Written and medically reviewed by Xiangpeng Liu, MD

Associate Chief Physician, ENT & Head/Neck Surgery · Chenzhou First People’s Hospital, Chenzhou, Hunan, China

Editorial policy & reviewer credentials · All sources

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Medical disclaimer: This knowledge base is general information for people researching head and neck tumours, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. It does not replace an examination by a qualified physician. Survival figures are population averages, not predictions for an individual. Treatment and cost estimates for China are illustrative only and must be confirmed in writing after your records have been reviewed. If you have a symptom lasting more than two to three weeks, see a doctor promptly.