Original Research Article
Year: 2020 | Month: September | Volume: 10 | Issue: 9 | Pages: 460-468
The Relationship between a Patient and Clinician Reported Voice Tool in Pharyngeal and Laryngeal Cancer Post Organ Preservation
Smita Caren Mathias1, B.S Premalatha2, Vijay Pillai3, Shishir Kumar4
1PhD Research Scholar,
2Professor, Department of Speech Language Studies, Dr S.R. Chandrashekhar Institute of Speech & Hearing, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
3Department of Head and Neck Oncology, Mazumdar Shaw Medical Centre, Narayana Health City, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
4Department of Neurosurgery, Mazumdar Shaw Medical Centre, Narayana Health City, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Corresponding Author: B.S Premalatha
ABSTRACT
Background: Patients with pharyngeal and laryngeal cancers have voice problems either secondary to the tumour, treatment or both.
Aim: To study the relationship between a patient and a clinician reported voice tool in pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer undergoing organ preservation.
Methodology: This was a prospective, cohort study conducted over 2 years at a single tertiary care center. The relationships between the voice handicap index (VHI) and GRBAS scale were studied in pharyngeal and laryngeal cancers before and after organ preservation. Mann Whitney U and Spearmans correlation were used for the statistical analysis.
Results: Twenty-two patients (eighteen men and four women) were studied. In the pharyngeal group, before treatment, only ‘roughness’ component of GRBAS had strong positive correlations with VHI domains and total VHI scores (P < .05, r = > .60). However, after treatment most parameters of GRBAS and VHI were strongly correlated (P < .05, r = >.60). In the laryngeal group strong correlations were found between all the parameters of GRBAS and VHI both before and after treatment. All VHI and GRBAS scores were significantly different (P < .05) between the pharyngeal and laryngeal cohort before treatment, while after treatment only roughness, breathiness, asthenia, and strain were significantly different.
Conclusion: VHI and GRBAS are two common tools used for voice assessment. In laryngeal cancer even a small complaint should be treated with high index of suspicion indicating a thorough evaluation (strong positive correlation). However, in pharyngeal cancer any gross change in voice should be evaluated (positive correlation).
Key words: Voice handicap index, GRBAS, Pharyngeal cancer, Laryngeal cancer, Organ preservation, Chemoradiation