As we head into cold and flu season, it’s normal to experience some hoarseness and a creaky voice.
If the cause is laryngitis, the NHS shared you can expect the problem to resolve itself in one to two weeks.
But laryngeal, or voicebox, cancer affects around 2,000 people a year in the UK.
Those stats make it a less common cancer (in comparison, the UK sees 56,000 cases of breast cancer a year), which may be why I’d never heard of it until last week.
This cancer can show up in your vocals first, especially if you’ve had a hoarse voice for over three weeks, the NHS says.
What are the other symptoms?
You might also experience a sore throat that doesn’t seem to budge or difficulty when swallowing, along with a lump or swelling in the neck.
Other symptoms can include lasting breathlessness or a persistent earache.
In some cases, you might notice a high-pitched wheezing sound when you breathe.
Additionally, some people might notice bad breath, unintentional weight loss or ongoing fatigue.
“You should see a GP if you have had a hoarse voice for more than three weeks,” the NHS advises.
Though “these symptoms are often caused by less serious conditions,” it’s still “a good idea to get them checked out”, they say.
Who is more likely to get laryngeal cancer?
People tend to get it when they’re over 60, and more men develop the cancer than women.
We don’t know for sure what causes it, but it’s been linked to smoking tobacco, drinking heavily and often, a poor diet, a family history of the condition, and some chemicals (like asbestos and coal dust).
“Fortunately, most laryngeal cancers are diagnosed at an early stage, which means the outlook is generally better than some other types of cancer,” the NHS says.
Heart Radio Breakfast co-host Jamie Theakston, who recently revealed he “had an operation to remove a lesion from my vocal cords” due to the cancer, said that his prognosis was “very positive”.