Head / Neck Cancer

What Is It?
Signs and symptoms of mouth and laryngeal cancer can include a persistent hoarse voice, burning sensation when swallowing hot or acidy foods, earaches which are caused by referred pain from a tumor, coughing up blood, the appearance of a non-healing sore in the mouth or lump in the neck.

What Causes It?
The most common cause of this type of cancer is chewing or smoking tobacco.

What Are Treatment Options?
An Otolaryngologist or Ear Nose & Throat physician assesses for evaluation of a tumor through x-ray tests, viewing of the larynx, lymph gland inspection, and biopsy. Treatment may involve surgical removal of the tumor, radiation, and occasionally chemotherapy.

At HCMC, Speech Pathology works closely with ENT and gets involved soon after a diagnosis is made, continues throughout any hospitalization and during coordinated ENT Clinic follow-up appointments.

Oral cancer may result in changes in speech and swallowing. The speech-language pathologist will assess and make recommendations regarding ways to make speech clearer and swallowing safe and easier.

Cancer of the larynx (voice box) may require removal of all or part of the larynx. As a result, patients may have a soft, hoarse voice or no voice. Once the voice box is removed, normal voicing is no longer possible but the speech pathologist can teach other ways of achieving verbal communication.

One method involves use of an electrolarynx, which is a sort of vibrator placed against the neck to give a sound source. Another is through esophageal speech, which is produced by trapping air in the esophagus (tube to the stomach). Release of this air causes the tissues to vibrate and gives a sound source for speech. Some people can learn to do this naturally. Others use a device called a tracheal-esophageal prosthesis (TEP) to make the process easier.

What Can You Do To Help?
When communicating with someone who has had oral or laryngeal surgery:

• Be patient
  
• Encourage the person to speak slowly, in short sentences, with good mouth opening
  
• Have pencil/paper handy to cut down on frustration,
  
• The more a person speaks with their new form of communication and the more the partner listens to it, the better both get.