Tumor size affects the quality of voice in oral and pharyngeal cancers: A preliminary study

Abstract

Objective: Clinical observations indicate that the growth of cancers in the oral and pharyngeal region affects the voice of the individual. Literature study indicates that most of the studies have been on laryngeal cancers and that there are no reports, indicating the impact of tumor growth on the quality of voice in people afflicted by cancer in the oral and pharyngeal regions. For the first time, we have attempted at understanding the impact of tumor growth on voice (pitch, jitter, and shimmer) in people with cancer in the oral or pharyngeal regions. Methodology: This was a prospective study and was done in newly diagnosed oral and pharyngeal cancer patients with confirmed histopathological reports. The voice analysis software PRAAT and a dynamic unidirectional AUD-59 × LR microphone were used to record the voice in a soundproof recording laboratory. Voice was also recorded of healthy age-matched volunteers and used as positive control. The results of the voice parameters accrued were analyzed according to the gender (male or female), the region (oral and pharyngeal), and the tumor size using analysis of variance with Bonferroni's multiple comparison. Results: The results of the study indicate that when compared to the healthy controls, the pitch was decreased in people with cancers and was more prominent for females (P = 0.001). The jitter increased and was significant for both oral and pharyngeal cancers (males P = 0.001; females P = 0.002). With respect to shimmer, there was a decrease in men even as it increased in women with oral cancers, while it increased in both the genders in pharyngeal cancers (P = 0.035 and P = 001). Conclusions: The results indicate that there was a significant alteration in the pitch, jitter, and shimmer in people with cancers in the oral and pharyngeal regions and that these changes were dependent on the size of the tumor.