Ohio State doctors are utilizing research breakthroughs to improve voice-related symptoms of some head and neck cancers. Several types of cancer can affect patients’ voices, including cancers of the tongue, esophagus and larynx — the vocal cords and surrounding structures. Symptoms of these cancers can include speech and voice issues, especially for patients who have undergone radiation to the throat, which can cause scarring or other problems. While these issues can cause major issues for patients, research has led to therapies that can lessen these symptoms. For many patients, relatively simple procedures like lip augmentation can provide noticeable relief, while others may benefit from injections to help with jaw opening. “We’ve been able to take steps toward improving symptoms of patients based on research we’ve been doing here at The James,” Apoorva Ramaswamy, MD, says.