Will I lose my voice?

One of the most common questions asked by patients with laryngeal cancer is this:

Will I lose my voice completely?

This is a very natural concern… But I can say this with a clear conscience: a patient with laryngeal cancer does not lose their voice.

The larynx is the organ where our vocal cords are located. But the treatment plan changes according to the region where the tumor is situated, its size, and its stage.

If the disease is caught at an early stage, we can often preserve the voice by removing only the tumorous part or with radiation therapy. In fact, many of our patients continue to speak normally after treatment.

At more advanced stages, it is sometimes necessary to remove the entire larynx. In this case, although the natural voice is lost, patients can speak again using methods such as a voice prosthesis, an electrolarynx, or esophageal speech. In other words, there is no such thing as being left completely silent.

Our aim is always both to clear the cancer completely and to preserve the patient's quality of life and voice as much as possible.

And I especially want to emphasize this:

If your hoarseness has lasted longer than two weeks, do not wait for it to 'pass.' Be sure to see an ENT specialist. Early diagnosis significantly increases both the success of treatment and the chance of preserving the voice.