Many risk factors are suspected in the development of laryngeal cancer, the most common include:
- Age – laryngeal cancer affects mainly people between 50 and 75 years;
- Sex – men are more often diagnosed with laryngeal cancer than women are;
- Chemicals – exposure to fumes of sulfuric acid and of asbestos; toxic vapors of organic substances / chemicals increases the risk of laryngeal cancer;
- Diet – eating a diet low in fruits and vegetables and rich in salted and spicy foods can cause laryngeal cancer;
- Race – laryngeal cancer is twice more common in people of African descent than among Caucasians;
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) – prolonged irritation associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may cause the occurrence of cancers of the esophagus and larynx.
- Abuse of the vocal cords – if you continuously abuse your vocal cords (if you’re a singer for example), you can develop polyps that can turn into cancer if not removed;
- Heavy alcohol consumption – a moderate consumption of alcohol does not represents any health risk; heavy consumption, however, can double your risk of developing cancer of the larynx. When tobacco is involved, the risk is considerably increased.
- Human papillomavirus – it is shown in many studies that a mother affected by HPV can transmit the virus to her child during birth. Without effective treatment, the virus will bind to the larynx and causes later formation of tumors called laryngeal papillomas, which can develop into cancer.
- Weakened immune system – if your immune system is weakened, you are your likely to develop all types of cancer including laryngeal cancer. Factors that can weaken your immune system are numerous, the most common include:
- a)HIV / AIDS
- b)stress
- c)unhealthy / poor diet
- d)malnutrition
- e)taking immunosuppressive drugs after an organ transplant
- f)cancer treatment: chemotherapy, radiation, etc..