I think that your dad should most definitely have his hoarse voice checked out to make sure it isn’t due to a more worrying cause like cancer.
I always advise anyone who has had a persistent hoarse voice for longer than 2 weeks to undergo a thorough checkup, even if he is a non smoker.
Anyone with a hoarse voice who smokes or is an ex smoker should not hesitate to have their throat and voicebox examined carefully as the chances of cancer or pre-cancer changes are much higher than in a non-smoker.
In addition to a persistent hoarse voice, other specific “red flag” danger symptoms of throat cancer to watch out for include:
- persistent sore throat
- feeling of something stuck inside the throat
- noisy breathing
- difficulty swallowing food and/or water, and
- even bringing up blood-stained secretions from the mouth or throat
Your dad should have a nasal endoscopy procedure done in clinic which involves using a flexible endoscope/camera to give a clear view of his throat, voicebox and airway.
This is a pain free and safe procedure which should only take less than 5 mins in experienced hands.
Of course, there may be a perfectly innocent and benign reason for your dad’s hoarse voice, but we won’t know that unless he gets it properly checked out by his friendly ENT doctor.