Medical Student Research Forum Posters

In the United States there are approximately 67,000 cases of Head and Neck Cancer annually and 15,400 deaths. The NIH estimates that in 2023 approximately 12, 380 new cases of laryngeal cancer, were diagnosed which has a 61.6% 5-year relative survival rate.The total laryngectomy is a surgical procedure that removes all of the laryngeal structures and sections of the upper trachea. Tracheoesophageal speech is considered the gold standard for voice rehabilitation following total laryngectomy. Tracheoesophageal speech utilizes a voice prosthesis (VP) that is inserted through a puncture in the common wall separating the trachea from the esophagus. The current literature has established that many factors that can impact a VP lifespan. In patients with advanced laryngeal cancer (T4a), up to 10% of patients can develop a recurrence, while less severe cases can result in up to 25% of recurrence. However, there is limited information on how the development of a secondary malignancy or recurrence can impact VP device failures or their lifespan. Therefore, understanding the factors that may influence TEP device failures particularly in the context of cancer recurrence or new malignancies is essential in the management of patients.