Griffin's New Voice!
- After beating lung cancer, comedian Kathy Griffin, 61, experienced some changes to her voice as a result of treatment.
- She recently got an injection in her vocal cord and says her voice has “improved” as a result.
- Griffin, a non-smoker, was diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer in 2021; she had surgery to treat her disease.
Taking to Instagram, Griffin, 61, says in a video, "So, I'm trying my new voice today. I had this big fancy injection in my left vocal cord a couple of days ago. I think my voice sounds better. I don't know if it's totally back, but I'm pretty excited. It's improved."
Read MoreView this post on InstagramGriffin’s voice sounds stronger and less raspy than it has in earlier post-cancer videos she’s shared. We love to see her improving more and more every day.
The Malibu native is married to Randy Bick. The pair have been married since 2020.
Griffin’s Voice & Lung Cancer Battle
Kathy Griffin was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2021 and has been very public about her diagnosis and cancer battle. She's a non-smoker and was diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer. A stage 1 lung cancer diagnosis indicates that the cancer hasn't spread to the lymph nodes or other organs in the body.
Symptoms of lung cancer typically include:
- Sudden and unexplained weight loss
- Constant coughing that becomes painful over time
- Shortness of breath
- Changes in voice or difficulty speaking without getting winded
- Pain in the torso, mid- and upper-back, and shoulders
- Discoloration or a sudden change in color of mucus and saliva
Griffin had surgery to treat her disease, which, as she shares, impacted her voice and her vocal chords. Lung cancer surgery impacts the body in various ways. It may cause fatigue, leaving the patient feeling weak and tired. There's also the risk of infection after surgery. Signs of infection after lung cancer surgery can include: shivering, feeling nauseous, swelling or redness around the surgical wound, and fluctuating temperature. Speak with your doctor if you experience any of these things.
Breathlessness is also normal after lung cancer surgery. Long-term pain can present as well. A study published by the European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery examined the risk factors of vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) following lung cancer surgery in patients. The study found that 86100% of patients reported hoarseness after surgery following RLN paralysis (a nerve injury that has the potential to occur after surgery for lung cancer). And in 45% of the patients studied, hoarseness was the only symptom of VCD after lung surgery.
What Happens When You've Been Newly Diagnosed With Lung Cancer
Positivity Through Cancer Remission
We love Kathy Griffin’s renewed voice and her ongoing positive attitude through lung cancer and into remission. Signing off her video, after debuting her new voice, she says, “I love you guys.” Griffin is full of love and positivity, and that matters.
Focusing on hope, and maintaining a positive attitude through a cancer battle can help. Anecdotal evidence from SurvivorNet experts points to how a positive mindset can impact a cancer prognosis. One oncologist at Cedars-Sinai tells SurvivorNet in an earlier interview, "My patients who thrive, even with stage 4 cancer, from the time that they, about a month after they're diagnosed, I kind of am pretty good at seeing who is going to be OK. Now doesn't that mean I'm good at saying that the cancer won't grow," he says.
"But I'm pretty good at telling what kind of patient are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease. And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life."
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