Hello all,
I have been diagnosed with neuroendocrine carcinoma on my larynx. The tumour is on a cartilage process on the left side of voice box.
I’m having part of voice removed with surgery, i have been told that my voice will be very hoarse as the tumour is on the cartilage that moves the voice box in and out. And also i could have problems with swallowing, which i will get therapy for.
I’m wondering what other people experiences are with having part of the voice box removed and how was the recovery. I’m very worried about not being able to swallow and how what my voice will be.
Also its been nearly two weeks now waiting for appointment date for surgery, not sure weather I should chase, or is there normally a bit of a wait.
thanks all
Hi Nixs and welcome. I am a head and neck cancer survivor but I didn’t have your type of cancer. I can’t help specifically but generally can say that the speech and language support you will get should address your fears. Whatever exercises you are given I would do assiduously. It might be worth asking your CNS if there are any you could start with to strengthen your swallowing muscles before surgery
I wound phone the hospital too, to get a timeline if you can, so you’re not worrying about dates and waits.
Best wishes
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
Hello Nixs. Like Dani my cancer(s) have been different to yours so not really able to add to her advice, and in fact I've never heard of the operation you're going to have.
My larynx was completely removed and my throat "re-plumbed" with tissue from my chest, so a very different procedure to yours, but all the best with it. I was totally "nil by mouth" for around five months and had to re-learn eating but now it's not far off normal, just a bit slow and I can't cope very well with hot (temperature wise) food, need to let it cool a bit.
Metastatic SCC diagnosed 8th October 2013. Modified radical neck dissection November, thirty-five radiotherapy fractions with 2xCisplatin chemo Jan/Feb 2014. Recurrence on larynx diagnosed July 2020 so salvage laryngectomy in September 2020.
