Your voice may already be hoarse before you start the treatment. During your treatment you are likely to notice a change to the way your voice sounds. This is because radiotherapy damages the delicate surface of the vocal cords which stops them vibrating properly.
Radiotherapy for other types of head and neck cancer might make your voice change a little during and for a few weeks after the treatment. Your voice should go back to normal once your treatment ends.
After treatment, your mouth or throat may become dry and sore, and your voice may become hoarse. Radiation therapy can cause your salivary glands to make less saliva, which can contribute to a dry mouth. These effects will gradually get better after treatment finishes, but it may take several weeks or even months.
Damage to the larynx (voice box) can occur from either the tumor or treatments, such as radiation or surgery, especially among patients with cancers that involve the thyroid, lung, esophagus, or head and neck. This is often due to injury to the nerve that controls movements of the larynx.
Radiotherapy may also impact on voice if the larynx is included in the treatment field. Radiotherapy to the larynx has been found to result in muscle atrophy, fibrosis, dryness of the laryngeal mucosa, hyperemia, and erythema [14,15].
In the majority of cases, the voice recovers in the first few weeks to months after radiotherapy has finished. For some people it may take longer.
Laryngeal cancers that form on the vocal cords (glottis) often cause hoarseness or a change in the voice. This might lead to them being found at a very early stage. If you have voice changes (like hoarseness) that do not improve within 2 weeks see your health care provider right away.
The main symptom of laryngeal cancer is having a hoarse voice for more than 3 weeks. Other symptoms include: a change in your voice, such as sounding hoarse. pain when swallowing or difficulty swallowing.
"While losing your voice typically isn't a huge medical concern, it can be a significant nuisance to the person experiencing symptoms, especially if that person relies on his or her voice for work," says Dr. Yin Yiu, ENT doctor specializing in laryngology at Houston Methodist.
Many people who get radiation therapy have fatigue. Fatigue is feeling exhausted and worn out. It can happen all at once or come on slowly. People feel fatigue in different ways and you may feel more or less fatigue than someone else who is getting the same amount of radiation therapy to the same part of the body.
The total dose of external radiation therapy is usually divided into smaller doses called fractions. Most patients get radiation treatments daily, 5 days a week (Monday through Friday) for 5 to 8 weeks. Weekend rest breaks allow time for normal cells to recover.
Does Radiation Oncology Have Fewer Side Effects Compared to Chemotherapy? Radiation oncology and chemotherapy are both effective cancer treatments; however, they are different in many ways. Radiation oncology is localized: it targets only the affected area of the body, and therefore, tends to have fewer side effects.
Keep your nurse and doctor informed of your concerns about swallowing. The inflammation and soreness usually last for seven to 10 days after radiation therapy treatment to your chest or back has ended or two to three weeks after treatment to your head and neck has ended.
Experiencing unexpected hoarseness or voice loss can indicate an underlying health condition. Other possible causes include: Acid reflux, known as heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux (GERD). Growths on your vocal cord tissue, also called vocal nodules, polyps, cysts, and contact ulcers.
So that our current understanding is that, except for very unusual situations, we would not give a radiation to a previously treated area, because of the concern about a much higher rate of complication. So, the answer is: no, we would, in most circumstances, not re-treat a previously treated area.
One Cancer Voice is a group of cancer charities working together to give consistent advice and information.
Laryngeal cancer is cancer of your larynx, or voice box. Laryngeal cancer symptoms include voice changes, such as hoarseness, and a sore throat or cough that won't go away. Treatment may include surgery to remove part or all of your larynx, called a laryngectomy.
Hoarseness is a less-known symptom of lung cancer. It is often caused by an irritation or injury to the vocal cords. In most instances, the problem will go away on its own after a short period.
Some people with lung cancer can develop a hoarse voice. It may be caused by the cancer pressing on a nerve in the chest called the laryngeal nerve. If this nerve is squashed, one of the vocal cords in your throat can become paralysed, leading to a hoarse voice.
Some people who receive radiation therapy experience dryness, itching, blistering, or peeling on the skin in the area being treated. Skin changes from radiation therapy usually go away a few weeks after treatment ends. If skin damage becomes a serious problem, your doctor may change your treatment plan.
If your mouth or throat is dry, try drinking several glasses of water and other fluids during the day. Carry a water bottle when you travel away from home. Try sucking on sugarless hard candy or chewing sugarless gum. Ask your nurse or doctor about artificial saliva to moisten your mouth.
The radiation stays in the body for anywhere from a few minutes to a few days. Most people receive internal radiation therapy for just a few minutes. Sometimes, internal radiation therapy can be given for more time.