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Loss of voice after lung surgery

Posted by vic83 @vic83, May 22, 2023

I had video assisted thoracic surgery for lung cancer surgery on Friday and immediately lost my voice. It is now Monday and no improvement. I can talk in whispers but have no volume and it is quite hoarse. Anybody else have this problem? What treatments are there?
I specifically asked the attending physician of the day but she only said "she was not worried" and offered no information on what to expect or do. I live alone and if I need to talk to someone, they now have trouble hearing me. Automated systems don't hear me.
Anyone out there have similar experience?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Lung Cancer Support Group.

lindaibm | @lindaibm | Apr 19 8:44am

Did anyone in this conversation happen to wear a Philips CPAP machine prior to lung cancer?

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trudyhs | @trudyhs | Apr 19 9:28am
In reply to @lindaibm "Did you happen to wear a Philips CPAP machine prior to your lung cancer? What is..." + (show)
@lindaibm

Did you happen to wear a Philips CPAP machine prior to your lung cancer? What is the name of the doctor and treatment facility?

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No I have never used a CPAP machine.
I am in Canada and am being treated at Juravinski Cancer Center in Hamilton, Ontario.

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Apr 21 7:46pm
In reply to @vic83 "Hi Trudy - there is a thread for multifocal lung cancer, perhaps one of Connect mentors..." + (show)
@vic83

Hi Trudy - there is a thread for multifocal lung cancer, perhaps one of Connect mentors can move our discussion there as I don't know how.
My first VAT surgery I was a stage 1b (because over 3cm) or based on the TNM staging system it was a pT2a. My second VAT had a pT1b (smaller), however pathology said STAS present - that means "spread through air spaces". There is now a new means of spread - the tumor is "shedding" but they don't know a whole lot about it. Tumor Board chose not to give me adjuvant therapy but only put me under close observation. Where do those cells go?
They need to find a blood supply, and how long can they survive? Not much known.
Anyway all my lymph nodes have been clean and my PET scans have indicated no spread and the other notable nodules are stable so I guess one can call this type of cancer "well behaved".
I have not needed chemo because they got it all and I have no metastasis.
I have been told I am not a candidate for immunotherapy because of my episode of pneumonitis. They can't be sure that the drugs will not trigger another inflammation causing more lung scarring. My numbers are already moderate obstruction, and the last test showed a severe drop in diffusion. They need to preserve lung function to preserve quality of life. My best option going forward will be ablation.

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@vic83 You're quite right. There are several discussions in Lung Cancer support group dedicated to multifocal lung cancer. @trudyhs, you're inviting to hop into this discussion too:
- Multifocal Adenocarcinoma of the lung, continual recurrences
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/multifocal-adenocarcinoma-of-the-lung-continual-recurrences/

See more using "multifocal" keyword in the group search https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/lung-cancer/?search=multifocal&index=discussions

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