Latest news with #voiceanalysis
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Trained AI can detect larynx cancer by listening to voice
A person's own voice might soon be a means of detecting whether they're suffering throat cancer, a new study says. Men with cancer of the larynx, or voice box, have distinct differences in their voices that could be detected with trained artificial intelligence, researchers reported Tuesday in the journal Frontiers in Digital Health. These differences are caused by potentially cancerous lesions that have cropped up in a person's vocal folds -- the two bands of muscle tissue in the larynx that produce sound, also known as vocal cords. "We could use vocal biomarkers to distinguish voices from patients with vocal fold lesions from those without such lesions," lead researcher Dr. Phillip Jenkins, a postdoctoral fellow in clinical informatics at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, said in a news release. Catching voice box cancer early can be a matter of life or death. There were an estimated 1.1 million cases of laryngeal cancer worldwide in 2021, and about 100,000 people died from it, researchers said in background notes. Risk factors include smoking, drinking and HPV infection. A person's odds of five-year survival can be as high as 78% if their throat cancer is caught at an early stage, or as low as 35% if it's caught late, researchers said. For the study, researchers analyzed more than 12,500 voice recordings from 306 people across North America. These included a handful of people with either laryngeal cancer, benign vocal cord lesions or other vocal disorders. Researchers discovered that the voices of men with laryngeal cancer exhibited marked differences in harmonic-to-noise ratio, which judges the amount of noise in a person's speech. Men with laryngeal cancer also showed differences in the pitch of their voices, results show. The team concluded that harmonic-to-noise ratio in particular might be used to track vocal cord lesions and potentially detect voice box cancer at an early stage, at least in men. They weren't able to detect any differences among women with laryngeal cancer, but are hopeful a larger dataset might reveal such differences. The next step will be to feed the AI more data and test its effectiveness with patients in clinical settings, researchers said. "To move from this study to an AI tool that recognizes vocal fold lesions, we would train models using an even larger dataset of voice recordings, labeled by professionals," Jenkins said. Then, the system will need to be tested to make sure it works equally well for both women and men. "Voice-based health tools are already being piloted," Jenkins added. "Building on our findings, I estimate that with larger datasets and clinical validation, similar tools to detect vocal fold lesions might enter pilot testing in the next couple of years." More information The American Cancer Society has more on throat cancers. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Solve the daily Crossword
The Sun
5 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Cancer could be diagnosed from the sound of your VOICE ‘within years'
THE early signs of cancer could be detected by listening to a patient's voice, scientists say. Using AI, subtle changes in the acoustics of a person's voice helped pick up lesions in people diagnosed with voice box cancer. Researchers believe AI could be trained to hear these changes within a "couple of years'. There are around 2,000 new cases of voice box (laryngeal) cancer in the UK each year. A hoarse voice for more than three weeks can be a key symptom, and should be investigated by a GP. Using AI for diagnosis could spell the end of uncomfortable tests currently used, such as a biopsy or nasendoscopy, in which a thin tube with a video camera is passed through the nose down the back of the throat. The American team, part of the 'Bridge2AI-Voice' project, gathered voice recordings of 300 patients, some of whom had voice box cancer. They studied at least six features of voice acoustics: the mean fundamental frequency (pitch); jitter, variation in pitch within speech; shimmer, variation of the amplitude; and the harmonic-to-noise ratio. There were "marked" differences between men with and without cancer or a voice box disorder, such as nodules or polyps, specifically the harmonic-to-noise ratio, according to the findings published in the journal Frontiers in Digital Health. It's possible the same will be found for women with a larger dataset. One of the study's authors, Dr Phillip Jenkins, of Oregon Health & Science University, said: "To move from this study to an AI tool that recognises vocal fold lesions, we would train models using an even larger dataset of voice recordings, labelled by professionals. "We then need to test the system to make sure it works equally well for women and men. BBC Gardeners world fans in tears as star reveals terminal cancer diagnosis during show "Voice-based health tools are already being piloted. "I estimate that with larger datasets and clinical validation, similar tools to detect vocal fold lesions might enter pilot testing in the next couple of years." 2 The symptoms of voice box cancer Cancer Research UK have said there are four key symptoms of laryngeal cancer to look out for: 1. Hoarseness or a change in your voice If you have a hoarse voice for more than 3 weeks, it could be a sign of laryngeal cancer, says Cancer Research UK. It's worth seeing a doctor for a full check up and diagnosis, as inflammation of the larynx can also be caused by a cold, a chest infection and overuse of the voice, like singing. 2. Pain or difficulty swallowing If you're experiencing pain or having difficulty swallowing, it might be an indicator something is wrong. Visit your GP if for three weeks or more, you feel: that there is something small stuck in your throat you are struggling to swallow food some pain or a burning sensation when swallowing food that your food is sticking in your throat 3. Shortness of breath Experiencing shortness of breath is a symptom that should trigger an urgent response. Call 999 if you suddenly experience shortness of breath or are struggling to breathe. Some people may also find they have a cough that doesn't go away, they find it difficult to breath or when they inhale it's become noisy (stridor). 4. Weight loss Sudden or dramatic weight loss is a key sign of cancer, including laryngeal. Usually it will happen alongside other symptoms and the body's way of communicating that there is a problem. It may also happen because you're eating less due to pain or because you're having difficulty swallowing. You should see your doctor if you have lost 4 to 5 kg (10lbs) or more in a short time.
