Speech Difficulties
(Voice quality & clarity)

You may experience changes to your speech clarity and/or voice quality related to the location of the cancer, or due to the cancer treatment, including surgery and/or radiation therapy.

Head and neck cancer and its treatment can affect the muscles and nerves of the lips, tongue, throat and larynx (voice box). When these muscles or nerves are affected, a person’s speech may not sound as clear or voice may sound different, and they may be difficult to understand. These changes might be temporary or permanent.

When changes are a result of radiation therapy side effects, they usually improve once the side effects resolve. When changes are a result of surgery, they may persist indefinitely. It is recommended that you talk to your surgeon about recovery and likelihood of improvement in communication.

Image above: If not managed radiation caries can progress and cause damage teeth. Keeping your teeth clean is the key to prevention..

Common treatment side effects of radiation therapy which may impact on communication include:

·      Pain, inflammation, swelling & ulceration of the mouth and/or throat.

·      Dry mouth and/or thick saliva. 

·      Stiffness or weakness of the muscles used for communication. 

·      Fatigue.

A speech pathologist is a specialist in managing communication difficulties. Having difficulty communicating even temporarily, can be frightening and frustrating. Your speech pathologist can assess your communication and provide you with individualised strategies and/or therapy to assist you with your voice or speech changes to help you to communicate in the clearest and most effective way. 

If you are experiencing communication difficulties a referral for a Speech Pathology consultation can be obtained from our Oncology Nurses.

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Page reviewed 5th May 2021