Voice handicap and health-related quality of life after treatment for small laryngeal carcinoma.

Treatment of small carcinoma of the larynx may lead to voice handicap and restricted quality of life. The relationship between the two is revealed. Sixty-five patients aged 62.1 ± 10.0 years rated their voice handicap and quality of life after treatment of T1 (n = 35) or T2 (n = 30) laryngeal carcinoma during regular out-patient examinations. For the self-assessment of the voice, the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) and the disease-independent Short Form-36 Health Survery (SF-36) questionnaires were used. Voice handicap (total score 38.9 ± 26.0) did not differ in the two tested groups, T1 and T2, and the data of SF-36 (physical score 43.0 ± 10.7; mental score 50.2 ± 9.1) showed significant differences for the mental score. Patients rated their voice handicap worse than healthy persons did after treatment of laryngeal carcinoma. VHI and SF-36 data were strongly correlated. Voice handicap is significantly related to the quality of life, especially affecting the mental domain. Thus, the rehabilitation of voice disorders should have a beneficial impact on quality of life.