Treatment for head, neck, throat or brain cancers—including surgery and radiotherapy—can cause temporary or permanent speech changes and voice loss. Common issues include hoarseness, slurred speech, or difficulty producing sounds.

For some people, a change in their speech or voice will be a minor problem. It may return to normal, or near normal, as the tissues heal. For others, it will be more of a problem and will cause permanent changes to the way they speak.

Tips for managing speech or voice problems 

• You may have already been referred to speech and language (SLT) to help you communicate in the clearest and most effective way, if not discuss this with your GP
• Keep your mouth and throat healthy by drinking plenty of water and not smoking.
• When speaking, sit up straight or stand. This will help you to use your breath better.
• Try to use short sentences and take rests between them
• If you are making a phone call, increase the volume if possible so that your voice can be heard without straining
• Sometimes, you may need to use other ways to communicate. New technologies can help, such as apps that convert the text you type into speech.

For more information, please see the links below

Changes In Your Speech With Mouth And Oropharyngeal cancer | Cancer Research UK