I just want to thank everyone who has contributed on this thread. I stayed up reading last night and it's been so helpful for me. My husband is 54 and been hoarse since November with a bad cough for months before that. His GP referred him to an ENT specialist who said he had abnormal white patches in vocal cords. He had a biopsy under general anaesthetic and they did more investigations. After the op they said they'd found red patches and want to repeat the op in 4 weeks time and go deeper-not sure if this means deeper down throat or deeper into vocal cord tissue. He is tired all the time and just feels awful -he's been like this since November and getting worse. Is this likely to be cancer? I just can't stop worrying .He's pretty laid back anyway which is good. He's going for his biopsy results next Weds. He had his biopsy on 21st Feb.  Should I read anything into time taken to get biopsy results? If it was serious  would they have had him back in straight away?  Has anyone had simialr symptoms and what was the outcome? Thank you  

Hi all,

I noticed my voice changing about 8mths ago. Finally got it checked to find a cyst on left vocal also enlarged tonsils. Specialist advised to remove tonsils anyway as always problematic and at same time would check cyst condition. He removed tonsils and now the polyp. Polyp revealed dysplasia and advised close monitoring. Going back in a few months. Questions I have... did you feel twinges/burning sensation in upper side of neck if talked a bit too much? Radiotherapy - is that only advised if it turns to cancer? And i dont think I had laser ... think he used an older method (forgot to ask). Are you following any strict diets or major lifestyle changes ? I have 3 young children ... thanks !! Quite worried as think I need to make some adjustments...

Hi Mina, I was diagnosed with severe dysplasia 3 years ago. I am a non smoker so it was a bit of shock! The dysplasia was quite marked and it was cold steel removed. At the time the consultant was quite concerned as it was so large and I was told there was quite a high likely hood of dysplasia return. After the procedure my throat was sore for quite some time and my voice took a few months to really get back to normal. Over the coming couple of years if I drank alcohol on a normal night out or had a cold my voice would often become quite hoarse which used to concern me that the dysplasia was returning. Luckily it has never returned. For the first two years I was checked every 3 months, then every 6 months and now once a year. The doctor actually offered to discharge me after the 3 year point as nothing had happened but I'm happy to have a yearly check until the 5 year mark. As I understand it dysplasia can be mild, medium or severe. Mild will not normally be monitored and medium only if you are high risk (smoker, heavy drinker). Severe has between a 10-40% change of progression into cancer. The higher percentage is if you are a heavy smoker or drinker. Ive always been told I had about a 10% chance. Radiotherapy is a one chance option so will only be used if all other avenues have been tried such as laser, cold steel, etc. When I was first diagnosed I was extremely stressed and worried about it but just to put you at ease you will be monitored and any sign of return or progression will be dealt with. It's an extremely treatable issue. Dysplasia does not normally progress from the lower stages and even severe you have a very good chance. If you do find you have an early stage cancer it has a 98% cure rate which lets be honest is not bad! At first I used to drink alot of water and take vitamins but I don't any more. I also read about a research treatment program run by a team of doctors in Finland or somewhere in Scandinavia I think that had tried prescribing daily doses of folic acid to patients with severe dysphasia which had show some signs of possible success. I spoke to my consultant at Charring X hospital about this who said he was aware of it but as it had never really gone any further was unsure if it had proven correct. I asked if he would have a problem with me trying it which he said no so I just bought myself folic acid and took it daily for two years. I'm not a doctor nor can I say if it made any difference as I'm a research group of 1 but the dyspalsia has no returned. That could be as much to do with luck and my own case as anything else but you did ask if anyone had tried vitamins.

Good luck with it all, I'm sure you're in good hands and will be closely monitored. its not great to get any kind of diagnosis which doesn't give you clean bill of health but as a doctor friend said to me at the time you've been caught before it could progress, you're monitored so any change will be acted upon immediately and it's very treatable. You don't have cancer you have severe dyspliasia which means the cells have become atypical but not yet an invasive cancer. I know I might be sounding all calm now but at the beginning I won't lie to you I as very worried about it all but try to stay positive and as many others have found in similar situations you will be fine and any problems if they arise will be detected.

I'm not one of these people to say this was a positive thing as no one wants anything other than to be full health but for me but I did used to have issues with health aniexty and one of the plus sid effects  is that I've had to learn to control that aniexty thorough this experience. 

Good luck with it all and as I found just speak to your doctor at your check ups if you have concerns and try to stay away from Google!

Thanks

Hi all,

Thank you so much for replying.  

Can I ask where you all got your treatment?

And did anyone have an endo to check upper aerodigestive tract as I am having reflux most evenings for the past month or so...it could be lack of exercise...

My dad had Hodgkins which started in the neck in his 30's and passed away 10 years ago. I have hypothyriodism so am always paranoid. I know these are not directly linked to Lymphoma...

I need to regain some strength mentally and physically to restart yoga and increase the amount of colourful fruits (i'm more into vegetables) as fear I will become more sad and spiral downwards...

I will try the folic acid !

Take care all

Hi,

As a non smoker but diagnosed with severe dysplasia I took an acid reflux test. I had tube placed into my nostril and down into my upper stomach for 24hrs. It was an extrememly uncomfortable and unejoyable experience and it came back as negative. I always thought of myself as some one that sufferned from reflux but it turns out I was wrong or at least on the day of the test!

Try not to worry too much about it, I'm three years past my inital diagnois and it has never retunred so progression is by no means a certainty, in fact for most with dysplasia it does not progress. If you are a smoker or heavy drinker my only advice would be to stop smoking and cut back on the alcohol.

I was treated under the NHS at Charring X hospital.

Thanks

I'm a 61 year old male who has been told I have a white scarring on my voice box and am waiting for a biopsy i am very worried if it is cancer what aremy Chances?

Hi Ford and everyone,

I was pleased to find this thread and read through everyone's experiences, hope and fears. I am male and just turned 56 years old.

After 5 weeks of hoarseness I was referred to my local ENT and was seen within a week of referral, this morning. Cancer of the Larynx is prevalent in my maternal family, including my maternal grandfather, my mother who was diagnosed too late and had a laryngectomy in 1987 (aged 65) then my older brother also in 2010 (aged 65). He got the all clear last Christmas which was great!! 

So this morning I have found that I have two dysplasia sites one either side of my vocal folds. The consultant at this stage is going to see me again in 12 weeks and has referred me for speech therapy. No biopsy or anything further at this stage.

At this stage I'm not unduly panicking or worried, but like many here, hope that this is going to be resolved at some stage. My partners father (aged 70) had a single dysplasia that was T2/3 I think, and received radiotherapy a year ago and although slightly husky sometimes he is perfectly well now.

I don't really have any questions but wanted to express my relief at finding this thread, to share my journey and experiences in whatever lies ahead.

best wishes to all

Chris J 

Hello,

I’m about to embark on radiotherapy of the vocal cords but I’m trying to find out what margins others had for the same treatment. Do you know what your margins were? I’ve been told it’s the whole of my supraglottis, then a 2cm block around that with an extra 0.5cm  margin for error. 

Thanks for any information you can offer,

Crimbosocks