Many patients experience voice changes and hoarseness and it is not necessarily a sign of a recurrence. Radiation damage to the larynx happens often years out from treatments, as well as swallowing issues and other nerve damage related problems. They often first manifest as hoarseness.

Also, a base of tongue cancer which was likely caused by HPV is not often the cause of laryngeal cancers, certainly not this far out.

My vote would be to see an ENT that has a practice focused on head and neck cancers. They might most likely be a surgeon, and less the kind of ENT that sees lots of non cancer ailments and children. You will want one that is capable of passing a small scope down your nose, which is quick and painless (if weird feeling ) to have a close up look at your larynx and surrounding area. That will be a more thorough exam than you would get at a GP doctors office.

All of us a survivors seem to be waiting for the other shoe to drop. Hoping you find this is something transient and not serious. Please come back when you’ve had you exam to let us know how it went. B

Last edited by Brian Hill; 01-31-2022 09:54 PM.

Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.