Speech outcomes in Cantonese patients after glossectomy

Area of Science:

• Speech-Language Pathology
• Oncology
• Surgical Reconstruction

Background:

• Glossectomy, the surgical removal of the tongue, significantly impacts speech production.
• Cantonese-speaking patients present unique linguistic challenges post-glossectomy.
• Understanding factors influencing speech is crucial for rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key factors affecting speech production in Cantonese glossectomized patients.
• To analyze speech error patterns in this population.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 41 Cantonese-speaking glossectomy patients (surgery >6 months prior).
• Evaluated speech production via phonetic error analysis (nonsense syllables).
• Assessed speech intelligibility (sentences and conversation) by naive listeners and speech therapists.

Main Results:

• Adjuvant radiotherapy, total/subtotal glossectomy correlated with poorer speech outcomes.
• Free flap reconstruction yielded the best speech results.
• Absence of lymph node metastasis and better vowel production were associated with improved scores.
• Initial consonant production showed the most significant errors.

Conclusions:

• Speech outcomes are dependent on glossectomy patient's disease severity.
• Initial consonant production deficits are the primary driver of reduced speech intelligibility.