The first wave of COVID-19 did not cause longer wait times in head and neck cancer. Experience of a French expert center

T Vanderhaegen; A Pierache; G Mortuaire; B Rysman; R Nicot; D Chevalier; F Mouawad

doi:10.1016/j.anorl.2022.03.003

The first wave of COVID-19 did not cause longer wait times in head and neck cancer. Experience of a French expert center

Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis. 2022 Oct;139(5):261-267. doi: 10.1016/j.anorl.2022.03.003. Epub 2022 Apr 22.

Authors

T Vanderhaegen¹, A Pierache², G Mortuaire¹, B Rysman¹, R Nicot³, D Chevalier⁴, F Mouawad⁵

Affiliations

¹ ENT and Head and Neck Department, Huriez Hospital, Lille University, CHU Lille, rue Michel-Polonovski, 59037 Lille cedex, France.
² METRICS: Evaluation des Technologies de Santé et des Pratiques Médicales - ULR 2694 - University Lille - CHU Lille, 59000 Lille, France.
³ Service de stomatologie et de chirurgie maxillo-faciale, hôpital Roger Salengro, université de Lille, CHU de Lille, rue Michel-Polonovski, 59037 Lille cedex, France.
⁴ ENT and Head and Neck Department, Huriez Hospital, Lille University, CHU Lille, rue Michel-Polonovski, 59037 Lille cedex, France; CANTHER "Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies", UMR9020 CNRS - U1277 Inserm - Université de Lille - CHU de Lille-COL, 59037 Lille cedex, France.
⁵ ENT and Head and Neck Department, Huriez Hospital, Lille University, CHU Lille, rue Michel-Polonovski, 59037 Lille cedex, France; CANTHER "Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies", UMR9020 CNRS - U1277 Inserm - Université de Lille - CHU de Lille-COL, 59037 Lille cedex, France. Electronic address: francois.mouawad@chru-lille.fr.

Abstract

Background: Head and neck cancers (HNC) have poor survival prognosis, as tumors are often diagnosed at advanced stages in patients consulting late. The first lockdown linked to the 1st wave of COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) disrupted consultation schedules in France.

Objective: The principal aim of the present study was to analyze consultation wait time in HNC during and after lockdown, in our university expert oncology reference center, to disclose any increase in treatment wait time.

Methods: A single-center retrospective study included patients with a first diagnosis of HNC. Three groups were distinguished: "lockdown", "post-lockdown", and a "control" group (corresponding to a reference period 1 year earlier). Intervals between first oncologic consultation and multidisciplinary tumor board (FC-MTB) and between MTB and first treatment (MTB-T) were assessed.

Results: One hundred and seven patients were included in the control group, 60 in the lockdown group and 74 in the post-lockdown group. There was no increase in median FC-MTB interval (respectively 35, 29 and 28 days) between the lockdown and post-lockdown groups compared to the control group (respectively P=0.2298 and P=0.0153). Likewise, there was no increase in MTB-T interval (27, 20 and 26 days respectively) (P=0.4203).

Conclusion: No increase in wait times was observed during the lockdown and post-lockdown periods in our center.

Keywords: COVID-19; Head and neck cancer; Multidisciplinary tumor board; SARS-CoV-2; Wait time.

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Communicable Disease Control
Head and Neck Neoplasms* / therapy
Humans
Retrospective Studies
SARS-CoV-2
Waiting Lists