Cancer Survivors Network

March, 19,2009

My husband was diagnosed with Vocal Cord Cancer on November 7th 2008. He was about to start radiation that would have left him barely able to speak above a whisper and with no option but voice box removal were the cancer to return, when we found a new procedure using a KTP Laser at Massachusetts General. The laser destroys the blood supply to the tumor saving the vocal cord. The tumor was a large T2. Dr. Steven Zeitels who was the developer of this technique removed most of the tumor on December 12, 2008. My husband returned 2 months later to have another laser surgery to remove the remaining cancer and there was nothing there. All biopsies returned negative. Thanks to the treatment from this incredible physician my husband's voice is now completely normal. We are confident that with frequent monitoring there will be no reason for more radical treatments. This doctor is a genius. Before undergoing any other treatment view the news clip from Charlie Gibson's ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Story?id=4759329&page=1. This is the treatment standard at Mass General and should be everywhere.