OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of family history of malignancy to the incidence of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. DESIGN: We performed a retrospective review of classified statistics from the detailed information of cases and matched controls. SETTING: First Hospital of China Medical University in the Liaoning province of China, between October 2005 and November 2007. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 288 previously untreated patients with laryngeal cancer and 296 control subjects with non-malignant diseases were analysed by use of a hospital-based case-control study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence rates and family history of malignancy. RESULTS: Single-factor logistic regression analysis indicated that the odds ratio value of a family history of malignancy was 2.0 (95% confidence interval: 1.3-3.2). Multiple logistic regression analysis confirmed this result, with an odds ratio value of 2.3 (95% confidence interval: 1.2-4.5). There was significant association between a family history of malignancy and the development of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Conclusions: A family history of malignancy plays an important role in and is an independent risk factor for the incidence of laryngeal carcinoma.