Head & neck
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Multicenter Study
Status and strategies for the management of head and neck cancer during COVID-19 pandemic: Indian scenario.
In India, oral cancer is the most common head and neck cancer (HNC) in men, mainly caused by the consumption of smoked and smokeless tobacco. During the current pandemic, delaying surgery for even 1 or 2 months may lead to more extensive surgery or inoperability, where only supportive care can be provided. ⋯ This study was conducted to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and inability of the health system to treat HNC in a timely fashion and how surgeons are coping to this emergent situation. This article highlights the situation in India, a country burdened with one of the highest incidence rates of HNC.
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Testing for SARS-CoV-2 is important for decision making prior to surgery in otolaryngology. An understanding of current and developing testing methods is important for interpreting test results. ⋯ Due to the current sensitivity of RT-PCR based testing for SARS-CoV-2, a negative test cannot rule out COVID-19. Full PPE should be worn during high-risk procedures such as aerosol generating procedures even if testing is negative. Patients who test positive during screening should have their surgeries postponed if possible until asymptomatic and have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on many aspects of head and neck cancer (HNC) care. The uncertainty and stress resulting from these changes has led many patients and caregivers to turn to HNC advocacy groups for guidance and support. Here we outline some of the issues being faced by patients with HNC during the current crisis and provide examples of programs being developed by advocacy groups to address them. We also highlight the increased utilization of these organizations that has been observed as well as some of the challenges being faced by these not-for-profit groups as they work to serve the head and neck community.
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The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus has altered the health care environment for the management of head and neck cancers. The purpose of these guidelines is to provide direction during the pandemic for rational Head and Neck Cancer management in order to achieve a medically and ethically appropriate balance of risks and benefits. ⋯ These guidelines support an ethical approach for the management of head and neck cancers during the COVID-19 epidemic consistent with both the local standard of care as well as the head and neck oncological literature.
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The ongoing worldwide pandemic due to COVID-19 has forced drastic changes on the daily lives of the global population. This is most notable within the health care sector. The current paper outlines the response of the head and neck oncologic surgery (HNS) division within our academic otolaryngology department in the state of Alabama. ⋯ Our HNS division saw a 55% reduction in surgical volume during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. We feel that an early and cohesive strategy to triaging surgical cases, PPE usage, and minimizing exposure of personnel is essential to providing care for HNS patients during this pandemic.