Archives of Head and Neck Surgery
https://www.archivesheadnecksurgery.com/article/doi/10.4322/ahns.2020.0008
Archives of Head and Neck Surgery
Original Article Epidemiology

Overview of care for head and neck cancer cases in Brazilian Cancer Centers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Sergio Gonçalves, Marco Aurélio Vamondes Kulcsar, Leandro Luongo de Matos, José Guilherme Vartanian, Genival Barbosa de Carvalho, Fernando Luiz Dias, Terence Pires de Farias, Emilio Tosto Neto, Carlos Roberto dos Santos, Lucas Gomes Silva, Afonso do Carmo Javaroni, Gyl Henrique Albrecht Ramos, Beatriz Godoy Cavalheiro, José Carlos de Oliveira, Rafael de Cicco, Luiz Eduardo Barbalho de Mello, Bartolomeu Cavalcanti de Melo Junior, Luiz Roberto Medina dos Santos, Rafael Nunes Goulart, Luiz Paulo Kowalski

Downloads: 2
Views: 927

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on health systems worldwide. The important measures taken aiming to control the pandemic have harmfully influenced the diagnosis and treatment of other diseases, including cancer. Objective: To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Brazilian head and neck (H&N) oncology reference services. Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated data on the number of outpatient consultations, operations and infected physicians collected in 13 Brazilian Cancer Centers. Results: 10% of the H&N surgeons had COVID-19 infection. Significant reduction in the average number of new treated cases (39.9%), consultations (63.1%) and surgeries (35.1%) was observed in April 2020 compared with those of the same period in 2019. Conclusion: There was significant impairment in the delivery of care to H&N cancer patients during a month of pandemic. The observed reduction is expected to persist in the coming months and will require institutional efforts to adequately meet the demand imposed during the pandemic period.

Keywords

COVID-19; head and neck neoplasms; surgery; attention

References

1. Sohrabi C, Alsafi Z, O’Neill N, Khan M, Kerwan A, Al-Jabir A, Iosifidis C, Agha R. World Health Organization declares global emergency: A review of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Int J Surg. 2020;76:71-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2020.02.034. PMid:32112977.

2. Johns Hopkins University, Center for Systems Science and Engineering [Internet]. COVID-19 Dashboard by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD: CSSE; 2020. [cited 2020 May 19]. Available from: https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

3. Lai AG, Pasea L, Banerjee A, Denaxas S, Katsoulis M, Chang WH, Williams B, Pillay D, Noursadeghi M, Linch D, Hughes D, Forster MD, Turnbull C, Fitzpatrick NK, Boyd K, Foster GR, Cooper M, Jones M, Pritchard-Jones K, Sullivan R, Hall G, Davie C, Lawler M, Hemingway H. Estimating excess mortality in people with cancer and multimorbidity in the COVID-19 emergency. Preprint. 1-10. [cited 2020 May 19]. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340984562_Estimating_excess_mortality_in_people_with_cancer_and_multimorbidity_in_the_COVID-19_emergency.

4. Graboyes EM, Kompelli AR, Neskey DM, Brennan E, Nguyen S, Sterba KR, Warren GW, Hughes-Halbert C, Nussenbaum B, Day TA. Association of treatment delays with survival for patients with head and neck cancer: A systematic review. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2019;145(2):166-77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2018.2716. PMid:30383146.

5. Instituto Nacional de Câncer José Alencar Gomes da Silva. Estimativa 2020: Incidência de câncer no Brasil. Rio de Janeiro: Ministério da Saúde; 2020. 117 p.

6. Medici AC. Custos do tratamento de câncer no Brasil: como melhorar o foco. Monitor de Saúde [Internet] 2018 Mar [cited 2020 May 19];12(88):1-5. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andre_Medici/publication/323879334_Custo_do_Tratamento_do_Cancer_no_Brasil_Como_Melhorar_o_Foco/ links/5ab0ff81a6fdcc1bc0bee4e2/Custo-do-Tratamento-do-Cancer-no-BrasilComo-Melhorar-o-Foco.pdf

7. Liang W, Guan W, Chen R, Wang W, Li J, Xu K, Li C, Ai Q, Lu W, Liang H, Li S, He J. Cancer patients in SARS-CoV-2 infection: a nationwide analysis in China. Lancet Oncol. 2020;21(3):335-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(20)30096-6. PMid:32066541.

8. Kowalski LP, Sanabria A, Ridge JA, Ng WT, de Bree R, Rinaldo A, Takes RP, Mäkitie AA, Carvalho AL, Bradford CR, Paleri V, Hartl DM, Vander Poorten V, Nixon IJ, Piazza C, Lacy PD, Rodrigo JP, Guntinas-Lichius O, Mendenhall WM, D’Cruz A, Lee AWM, Ferlito A. COVID-19 pandemic: effects and evidence-based recommendations for otolaryngology and head and neck practice. Head Neck. 2020;42(6):1259-67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hed.26164. PMid:32270581.

9. Chaves ALF, Castro AF, Marta GN, Castro G Jr, Ferris RL, Giglio RE, Golusinski W, Gorphe P, Hosal S, Leemans R, Magné N, Mehanna H, Mesía R, Netto E, Psyrri A, Sacco AG, Shah J, Simon C, Vermorken JB, Kowalski LP. Emergency changes in international guidelines on treatment for head and neck cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Oral Oncol. 2020;107:104734. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.oraloncology.2020.104734.

10. Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica [Internet]. Censo Demográfico. Rio de Janeiro: IBGE; 2010. [cited 2020 May 23]. Available from: https://www.ibge.gov. br/estatisticas/sociais/populacao/9662-censo-demografico-2010.html?=&t=o-que-e

11. American College of Surgeons. COVID-19: Recommendations for management of elective surgical procedures. Mar 13, 2020. Chicago, IL: ACS; 2020 [cited 23 May 2020]. Available from: https://www.facs.org/covid-19/clinical-guidance/elective-case/cancer-surgery

12. Mayor S. COVID-19: impact on cancer workforce and delivery of care. Lancet. 2020;21:633. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(20)30240-0.

13. Sud, AM, Jones M, Broggio J, Loveday C, Torr B, Garrett A, Nicol DL, Jhanji S, Boyce SA, Ward P, Handy JM, Yousaf N, Larkin J, Suh YE, Scott S, Pharoah PDP, Swanton C, Abbosh C, Williams M, Lyratzopoulos G, Houlston R, Turnbull C. Collateral damage: The impact on cancer outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ann Oncol. In Press. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.21.20073833


Submitted date:
06/10/2020

Accepted date:
06/13/2020

5fc7e17e0e8825120523ae11 archives Articles
Links & Downloads

Arch. Head Neck Surg.

Share this page
Page Sections