Effect of radiation on the vocal functions in post-radiation nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) patients

Abstract

Being the top 7th cancer in Hong Kong, treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is mainly with radiotherapy (RT), or chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Chronic RT-associated damage at larynx may lead to vocal dysfunction. This study retrospectively evaluated the vocal functions and voice-related quality of life on 16 RT (7 males 9 females) participants, 12 CRT (4 males 8 females) participants and 16 age-matched healthy control (7 males 9 females). Maximum phonation frequency in female NPC participants was significantly lower than the normal healthy controls. All NPC participants showed certain degree of supraglottic compression at habitual pitch and loudness. Four female NPC participants developed vocal fold nodules. Majority of the NPC participants rated themselves having voice-related difficulty in daily experience higher than the cut-off score. VAPP scores were positively correlated with post-radiation duration in female CRT participants. These findings suggested that post-RT NPC females may be more prone to developing vocal dysfunction.