Descriptions of the Speech of Patients with Cancer of the Vocal Folds. Part I: Measures of Fundamental Frequency

Speech samples of five patients with cancer of the vocal folds and five individually matched normal speakers were analyzed with respect to: (1) maximum rate of change of fundamental frequency, (2) fundamental-frequency perturbations related to specific consonants, (3) two perturbation factors, and (4) frequency distribution of fundamental frequency. It was found that most of these measures differentiated the pathological and normal speakers. The reliability and possible usefulness of each measure for detecting laryngeal cancer are discussed.