The larynx is a part of the throat, between the base of the tongue and the trachea. The larynx contains the vocal cords, which vibrate and make the sound when air is directed against them. The sound echoes through the pharynx, mouth, and nose to make a person's voice.

There are three main parts of the larynx:

Supraglottis: The upper part of the larynx above the vocal cords, including the epiglottis.

Glottis: The middle part of the larynx where the vocal cords are located.

Subglottis: The lower part of the larynx between the vocal cords and the trachea (windpipe). Laryngeal cancer forms in the tissues of the larynx (area of the throat that contains the vocal cords). The larynx includes the supraglottis, glottis (vocal cords), and subglottis. Cancer may spread to nearby tissues or to the thyroid, trachea, or esophagus. It may also spread to the lymph nodes in the neck, the carotid artery, the upper part of the spinal column, the chest, and other parts of the body. Most laryngeal cancers form in squamous cells, the thin, flat cells lining the inside of the larynx.