Saving Voice Box

Will undergo surgery in February '05 to have voice box removed and resection of esophagus due to scaring tissue from radiation. Are there any techniques available to save my Larynx?? My epiglottis and all tissue around it are cooked therefore no swallowing since last November '04 and this is my last chance before major surgery and not being able to talk. "HELP, SOS," Ray W.

My sister had throat cancer back in Sept. 2003. At that time, I researched different avenues for her, just in case they wanted to take her voice box when she underwent surgery.
During my search, I came across the name of a doctor at Sloan Kettering in Manhattan. I can't find the name of the doctor now, but he had come up with a different type of treatment for throat cancer instead of just taking the voice box. Anyway, his treatment consisted of tubes inserted into you at the site of the tumor and high doses of radiation were then directed at the specific tumor with less damage to the surrounding area. He found that this shrunk the tumor and worked quite well.
I know that you already had radiation treatment done with you not being able to swallow now, but I wanted to let you know that Sloan Kettering might have some alternatives for you. Good luck! I will continue to look and see if I can find the doctor's name in the meantime.

Thank you kindly for directing me to Sloan Kettering. I will investigate their site to see if any alternatives are available, but in the mean time I've spoken to another ENT who has opened my eyes to what's in store after surgery and it's no party. The restrictions placed on ones normal life are enormous, clearly depression and keeping the will to live. I may not be able to eat, have a hole in my throat and cannot speak. The Doctor said, "If I were you, I wouldn't give up my voice to eat". The risks outweigh the benefits. He was very candid and honest but he really didn't help with deciding what direction to choose. He's not me even though he spoke the truth, any way thanks again for your help, Ray

Dear Ray,
Today's 'My Cancer Compass' had an article on laser treatment for saving the larynx.
Both my husband and my best girlfriend had laryngectomies about a year ago. They both have to tube feed, and had their lymph nodes removed in their neck to avoid cancer cells spreading. On the up side, I would like to refer you to Dr. Blom in Indianapolis. He is the inventor of an artificial voice box prosthesis which he implants in the stoma. My girlfriend had it implanted right after her laryngectomy with great success. Dr. Blom accepts all patients and he is a wonderful guy. My hubby is not yet a candidate for Dr. Blom's prosthesis, and has used both Cooper-Rand and Servox, artificial voice boxes. I prefer listening to the Cooper Rand over the Servox as it is more audible-personal preference. T
here is also I.M.R.T. (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy), linear accelator radiation which is relatively new, quite high-tech, looks like something out of a space ship, and helps preserve the tissues surounding the radiated area.
Both of the above get many hits from a Google search.
Feel free to email me if you have any more questions. Going through this with two of the closest people to me, at the same time,led me to be a research guru, for over two years.

I wish you great success, Peace and Many Blessings from God!
Vic

My husband was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1994. He was 41. Of course, he first had radiation which worked for a while but then the cancer came back and he had a complete laryngectomy in 1995. Then he had chemo. He at first used a Servox machine and was very frustrated with it in the beginning. Some people could not understand him. People who were in contact with him daily could understand him well however.

He then had the insert which Victoria talks about from Dr. Blom. He has used this as a way to talk for several years now. He inserts his own prosthesis and cleans them himself. Most people can understand him well.

He has only had to tube feed after surgeries. Normally he eats food with sauces and unless he has overdone his physical capacity for the day he does fine.

My husband also had a total pharygectomy two years ago as they found a different cancer when he had a checkup.

He has been depressed as he was a construction laborer who liked his job which he now cannot physically do. But he says he has been here to see his daughters wedding, his son get a degree from college, and several grandchildren born. He believes this was well worth the pain and depression after surgery.

I hope everything goes well with you but I would never give up!