Phoniatric treatment combined with radiotherapy of laryngeal cancer for the avoidance of radiation damage

Abstract

Patients with cancer of the vocal cords, which is treated by radiation therapy, usually suffer considerable discomfort including deterioration of the voice during and for a varying period of time after the therapy. In an attempt to keep the vocal cords otherwise healthy by reducing the fairly great risk of vocal abuse and secondary weakness of the cords, phoniatric treatment and radiation therapy are given in parallel. It is suggested that this might be tried as a prophylactic measure against radiation damage to the vocal cords.