In the United States, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck comprises about 4% of all malignancies. This corresponds to an estimated 17 per 100,000 persons with newly diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck per year. Male-to-female incidence rates are greater than 2:1. The discrepancy in the male-to-female ratio is even more pronounced in laryngeal tumors, in which carcinoma is 4-5 times more common in men. This ratio has declined in the last 20 years, possibly reflecting the increased number of women using tobacco products during this period.

Laryngeal cancer generally is a disease of the elderly, with a peak incidence in the 50s and 60s. In certain parts of India and Southeast Asia, the practice of mixing cured tobacco with betel nuts has been associated with head and neck cancers. More than 200 million persons are thought to engage in this practice worldwide. A resultant 2.8 times higher relative risk of cancer exists for these individuals, and this increases to more than 10 times when smoking is also practiced. In Brazil and other developing countries, head and neck cancer represents 35% of all malignancies.

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