Effects of 1-year COVID-19 pandemic on head and neck cancer stage and treatment duration

ABSTRACT

Introduction The imposed radical governmental restrictions to combat the pandemic and the overstrained medical resources affected greatly, not only those infected from the novel virus, but also miscellaneous patient groups. Aim of this study was the assessment of the efficacy of oncologic healthcare during Covid-19 pandemic on patients with head neck squamous cell carcinoma in a tertiary university hospital in Germany. Material and Methods This retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study included 94 patients with newly diagnosed head and neck squamous cell carcinoma during a two-year period. Patients were assigned to two date-dependent groups;referrals before (Group A) and during (Group B) the Covid-19 pandemic. Time intervals from symptom(s) onset to diagnosis, diagnosis to treatment and treatment initiation to completion were recorded. Furthermore, TNM-stages and application of reconstructive surgery with free tissue transfer were determined. Results Despite the challenges and burden of the pandemic, tumor upstaging and treatment delays could not be observed. Conclusion A timely diagnosis and treeatment initiation plays a major role in prognosis of patients withs head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.