Longitudinal correlations of subjective, functional, and objective voice parameters following radiotherapy for early glottic carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Multi-dimensional voice assessment is critical for monitoring recovery in patients treated with radiotherapy (RT) for early glottic carcinoma. This study investigated the longitudinal cross-parametric correlations between subjective (AVHI-10), functional (LVS), and objective (acoustic) voice measures at baseline and 6 months post-RT. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with T1–T2N0M0 glottic carcinoma were prospectively evaluated. Spearman correlation matrices (ρ) were employed to analyze the relationships between the Voice Handicap Index-10 (AVHI-10), laryngeal videostroboscopy (LVS), and acoustic parameters (HNR, Jitter, Shimmer and MPT). RESULTS: All parameters showed significant clinical improvement at 6 months (P < 0.001). Post-RT, the AVHI-10 demonstrated exceptionally strong concordance with objective efficiency measures, specifically HNR (ρ = − 0.893) and MPT (ρ = − 0.844), as well as robust correlations with perturbation metrics (Jitter: ρ = 0.761; Shimmer: ρ = 0.753). In contrast, while functional LVS parameters remained significantly correlated with acoustic output, these associations were more moderate (ρ ranging from = 0.41 to 0.67). Glottic closure was the most prominent functional predictor of acoustic spectral purity (ρ = − 0.674 with HNR), whereas mucosal wave parameters (Phase Symmetry and Periodicity) exhibited a relative weakening in their correlation with acoustic instability, suggesting a complex interplay following radiation-induced tissue changes. CONCLUSION: Subjective handicap (AVHI-10) serves as a highly reliable surrogate for objective acoustic efficiency in the post-RT larynx. While functional laryngeal dynamics improve universally, the attenuation of correlations observed between mucosal wave parameters and acoustic output highlights the complex, non-linear impact of radiation-induced fibrosis. Residual glottic closure remains the primary functional determinant of vocal efficiency, emphasizing its role as a key clinical biomarker for post-treatment success.