Will I lose my voice?

It is the question her patients ask most, and a completely natural worry. What Prof. Dr. Meriç Hafız tells them, with an easy conscience: a laryngeal cancer patient does not end up voiceless.

The larynx is the organ that houses the vocal cords, and the treatment plan depends on where the tumour sits, how large it is and its stage. Caught early, the disease can usually be treated by removing only the tumour, or with radiotherapy, and the voice is preserved. Many patients speak normally after treatment.

In more advanced disease the whole larynx sometimes has to be removed. Even then, speech is not over: a voice prosthesis, an electrolarynx or oesophageal speech lets patients talk again. The aim is always double: clear the cancer completely, and protect quality of life and voice as far as possible.

How Prof. Dr. Meriç Hafız approaches treatment

As a surgeon who worked at the Cleveland Clinic Head and Neck Cancer Institute, she treats laryngeal cancer not merely as a question of surgery but as a question of preserving speech and swallowing.

When surgery is needed, its extent is planned to the patient. Voice rehabilitation and structured follow-up are part of the treatment, and at every stage you know what is being done and why.

Read the full Laryngeal Cancer guide

Frequently asked questions

Medically reviewed by Prof. Dr. Ayşenur Meriç Hafız, Professor of ENT and Head & Neck Surgery — August 2026 · About

Outcomes of surgical and medical procedures vary from person to person; please consult your physician for an assessment specific to you.