Cancer Survivor Regains Voice After Losing Vocal Cords

When Steve Navaroli could barely catch his breath during his daily walks six years ago, he didn't realize radiation from his 2012 throat cancer battle had permanently scarred his vocal cords. The treatments that saved his life were now threatening it again.

Navaroli had already survived stage three throat cancer through 33 radiation treatments, weekly chemotherapy, and surgery to transfer his salivary gland. After being declared cancer-free, he thought his fight was over.

But radiation damage doesn't always show up right away. Dr. Bushra Lohrasbi, a head and neck speech language pathologist at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, explained that radiation is "the gift that keeps on giving." Years after treatment, the scarring on Navaroli's vocal cords had become so severe it affected his breathing.

Navaroli faced an agonizing choice: keep his damaged voice box with a tracheotomy, or remove it entirely through a laryngectomy. He chose removal, a decision that turned out to save his life for a second time.

When doctors removed his vocal cords, they discovered spots that would have gone undetected otherwise. Those spots could have become cancerous, but the surgery caught them early.

The Bright Side

Seven months after surgery, Navaroli speaks through a small opening in his neck called a stoma. A specialized device helps him sound remarkably like his former self, and he breathes better than he has in years.

The Milton J. Dance Center at GBMC is pioneering new voice prosthesis technology, including hands-free devices and AI-powered tools. These innovations give patients like Navaroli their voices back without the physical voice box that once seemed irreplaceable.

"Just because we are removing someone's voice box doesn't mean we're taking away their voice," Lohrasbi said. The center continues testing cutting-edge devices through clinical trials, ensuring patients always have access to the newest technology.

Navaroli credits the medical team for restoring not just his ability to speak, but his entire quality of life. He walks without getting winded, talks with his loved ones, and lives fully.

For throat cancer survivors facing similar complications, Steve's journey proves that losing your vocal cords doesn't mean losing your voice.