Do not ignore inexplicable vocal changes. If you remain hoarse for over a week, or if hoarseness keeps returning after periods of normality, consult your doctor. If your throat shows no signs of the inflammation that accompanies laryngitis, the doctor will probably refer you to a specialist, who will examine your larynx by means of light reflected from a mirror held at the back of the throat. If any abnormality is apparent, the specialist will probably do an endoscopic examination, along with a biopsy, to determine whether or not your tumour is malignant. Benign growths, whether papillomas or polyps, can usually be snipped out in a minor operation performed under general anaesthetic with the use of an operating microscope.
Advanced cancers require removal of the entire larynx.
Even then, chances for a cure are good, and you may regain your speech, with the help of a speech therapist, by learning to use your oesophagus as a substitute for the larynx. Alternatively, you may be taught to use an electromechanical device that generates sounds, which you then modulate with your tongue and teeth to produce speech. In some cases, a valve may be implanted to divert air from the lungs into the oesophagus, where you can produce the sounds for speech.