Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on head and neck oncology activity: the experience of our University Hospital

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pan- demic has severely affected otolaryngology and head and neck activities, also involving diag- nosis and treatment of patients with oncolo- gy diseases with consequent delays and tu- mor upstaging. The aim of this study was to de- scribe the experience of our otolaryngology unit during the pandemic on patients with cancer of the head and neck, comparing data on anatom- ical site of origin and preferred treatment with pre-pandemic data. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study retro- spectively analyzed the clinical records of pa- tients treated for oncology disorders of the head and neck in the Otolaryngology Unit of the Poli- clinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, between March 10, 2020, and March 9, 2021. Da- ta were compared with the same period of the previous year (March 10, 2019 - March 9, 2020). RESULTS: During the pandemic, we treated 92 patients with malignant tumor of the head and neck, compared to 101 patients treated during the same period of 2019 (-8.91%). The most common anatomical sites of origin of the neo- plasms were larynx, oral cavity, and orophar- ynx. Surgical approach was preferred in 57 pa- tients (61.95%); non-surgical treatments were performed in 35 cases (38.05%). Compared to the same period of the previous year, we found a 12.90% decrease in the number of oncology pa- tients undergoing surgery, while patients treat- ed exclusively with non-surgical approaches in- creased by 18.42%. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the impact of COVID-19 on the activity of our otolaryngology unit and on the whole healthcare system, diag- nostic and therapeutic procedures for patients affected by malignancy of head and neck region were only minimally impacted.