Management and Prognosis of Head and Neck Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic raised the necessity to implement measures for managing patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Objective: To evaluate the measures adopted by an oncological hub during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate whether the SARS-CoV-2 infection an...

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Main Authors: Giuliano Lozer Bruneli, Priscila Marinho de Abreu, Jhully Oliveira Ferreira, Camila Batista Daniel, Jéssica Graça Sant'Anna, Roberta Ferreira Ventura Mendes, Brena Ramos Athaydes, Mariane Vedovatti Monfardini Sagrillo, José Roberto Vasconcelos de Podestá, Marco Homero de Sá Santos, Jeferson Lenzi, Evandro Duccini de Souza, Ricardo Mai Rocha, Regina de Pinho Keller, Liliana Cruz Spano, Sandra Ventorin von Zeidler
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Instituto Nacional de Câncer (INCA) 2025-05-01
Series:Revista Brasileira de Cancerologia
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Online Access:https://rbc.inca.gov.br/index.php/revista/article/view/5046
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author Giuliano Lozer Bruneli
Priscila Marinho de Abreu
Jhully Oliveira Ferreira
Camila Batista Daniel
Jéssica Graça Sant'Anna
Roberta Ferreira Ventura Mendes
Brena Ramos Athaydes
Mariane Vedovatti Monfardini Sagrillo
José Roberto Vasconcelos de Podestá
Marco Homero de Sá Santos
Jeferson Lenzi
Evandro Duccini de Souza
Ricardo Mai Rocha
Regina de Pinho Keller
Liliana Cruz Spano
Sandra Ventorin von Zeidler
author_facet Giuliano Lozer Bruneli
Priscila Marinho de Abreu
Jhully Oliveira Ferreira
Camila Batista Daniel
Jéssica Graça Sant'Anna
Roberta Ferreira Ventura Mendes
Brena Ramos Athaydes
Mariane Vedovatti Monfardini Sagrillo
José Roberto Vasconcelos de Podestá
Marco Homero de Sá Santos
Jeferson Lenzi
Evandro Duccini de Souza
Ricardo Mai Rocha
Regina de Pinho Keller
Liliana Cruz Spano
Sandra Ventorin von Zeidler
author_sort Giuliano Lozer Bruneli
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic raised the necessity to implement measures for managing patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Objective: To evaluate the measures adopted by an oncological hub during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate whether the SARS-CoV-2 infection and viral load changed the outcomes of head and neck cancer patients. Method: Patients were tested for SARS-CoV-2 using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and rapid COVID-19 antigen testing before surgery between October 2020 and November 2021. Clinical outcomes were compared by the presence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, considering prognostic factors for HNSCC patients, such as preexisting comorbidities and tumor staging. Results: Of the 194 patients recruited, 99 cases confirmed diagnoses of HNSCC and underwent surgical treatment. The most frequent comorbidities were arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The oral cavity and larynx were the most affected anatomical sites, 51% and 33%, respectively. A total of 61.6% of the cases were classified as T3/T4 and 53.4% did not have lymph node involvement. Presence of comorbidities and lymph node metastasis were associated with reduced survival. Of the 99 cases confirmed, 8.1% (8/99) were infected with SARS-CoV-2, but no differences in overall survival according to SARS-CoV-2 infection (p = 0.086) were noticed and the viral load was not associated with vital status (p = 0.456). Conclusion: The presence of SARS-CoV-2 infection did not influence overall survival in head and neck SCC patients. This is the first study to describe these findings in an oncological care center in the State of Espírito Santo, Brazil.
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spelling doaj-art-8d710a668e924fe48280f1203326465e2025-08-20T02:27:22ZengInstituto Nacional de Câncer (INCA)Revista Brasileira de Cancerologia0034-71162176-97452025-05-0171210.32635/2176-9745.RBC.2025v71n2.5046Management and Prognosis of Head and Neck Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 PandemicGiuliano Lozer Bruneli 0Priscila Marinho de Abreu1Jhully Oliveira Ferreira 2Camila Batista Daniel 3Jéssica Graça Sant'Anna4Roberta Ferreira Ventura Mendes 5Brena Ramos Athaydes6Mariane Vedovatti Monfardini Sagrillo 7José Roberto Vasconcelos de Podestá 8Marco Homero de Sá Santos 9Jeferson Lenzi 10Evandro Duccini de Souza 11Ricardo Mai Rocha 12Regina de Pinho Keller 13Liliana Cruz Spano 14Sandra Ventorin von Zeidler15Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Ufes), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Odontológicas. Vitória (ES), Brasil.Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Ufes), Centro de Ciências da Saúde  (CCS), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Odontológicas e Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia. Vitória (ES), Brasil.Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Ufes), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Departamento de Patologia. Vitória (ES), Brasil.Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Ufes), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia. Vitória (ES), Brasil.Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Ufes), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia. Vitória (ES), Brasil.Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Ufes), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia. Vitória (ES), Brasil.Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Ufes), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia e Departamento de Patologia. Vitória (ES), Brasil.Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Ufes), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia. Vitória (ES), Brasil.Hospital Santa Rita de Cássia, Serviço de Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço, Programa de Prevenção e Detecção Precoce do Câncer Bucal. Vitória (ES), Brasil.Hospital Universitário Cassiano Antônio Moraes – EBSERH. Vitória (ES), Brasil.Hospital Santa Rita de Cássia, Serviço de Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço, Programa de Prevenção e Detecção Precoce do Câncer Bucal. Vitória (ES), Brasil.Hospital Santa Rita de Cássia, Serviço de Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço, Programa de Prevenção e Detecção Precoce do Câncer Bucal. Vitória (ES), Brasil.Hospital Santa Rita de Cássia, Serviço de Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço, Programa de Prevenção e Detecção Precoce do Câncer Bucal. Hospital Universitário Cassiano Antônio Moraes – EBSERH. Vitória (ES), Brasil.Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Ufes), Departamento de Engenharia Ambiental. Vitória (ES), Brasil.Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Ufes), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Departamento de Patologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Infectologia. Vitória (ES), Brasil.Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Ufes), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Odontológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia e Departamento de Patologia. Vitória (ES), Brasil. Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic raised the necessity to implement measures for managing patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Objective: To evaluate the measures adopted by an oncological hub during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate whether the SARS-CoV-2 infection and viral load changed the outcomes of head and neck cancer patients. Method: Patients were tested for SARS-CoV-2 using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and rapid COVID-19 antigen testing before surgery between October 2020 and November 2021. Clinical outcomes were compared by the presence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, considering prognostic factors for HNSCC patients, such as preexisting comorbidities and tumor staging. Results: Of the 194 patients recruited, 99 cases confirmed diagnoses of HNSCC and underwent surgical treatment. The most frequent comorbidities were arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The oral cavity and larynx were the most affected anatomical sites, 51% and 33%, respectively. A total of 61.6% of the cases were classified as T3/T4 and 53.4% did not have lymph node involvement. Presence of comorbidities and lymph node metastasis were associated with reduced survival. Of the 99 cases confirmed, 8.1% (8/99) were infected with SARS-CoV-2, but no differences in overall survival according to SARS-CoV-2 infection (p = 0.086) were noticed and the viral load was not associated with vital status (p = 0.456). Conclusion: The presence of SARS-CoV-2 infection did not influence overall survival in head and neck SCC patients. This is the first study to describe these findings in an oncological care center in the State of Espírito Santo, Brazil. https://rbc.inca.gov.br/index.php/revista/article/view/5046COVID-19SARS-CoV-2Head and Neck NeoplasmsCarcinoma, Squamous CellSurvival
spellingShingle Giuliano Lozer Bruneli
Priscila Marinho de Abreu
Jhully Oliveira Ferreira
Camila Batista Daniel
Jéssica Graça Sant'Anna
Roberta Ferreira Ventura Mendes
Brena Ramos Athaydes
Mariane Vedovatti Monfardini Sagrillo
José Roberto Vasconcelos de Podestá
Marco Homero de Sá Santos
Jeferson Lenzi
Evandro Duccini de Souza
Ricardo Mai Rocha
Regina de Pinho Keller
Liliana Cruz Spano
Sandra Ventorin von Zeidler
Management and Prognosis of Head and Neck Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Revista Brasileira de Cancerologia
COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
Head and Neck Neoplasms
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
Survival
title Management and Prognosis of Head and Neck Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_full Management and Prognosis of Head and Neck Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_fullStr Management and Prognosis of Head and Neck Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_full_unstemmed Management and Prognosis of Head and Neck Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_short Management and Prognosis of Head and Neck Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_sort management and prognosis of head and neck cancer patients during the covid 19 pandemic
topic COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
Head and Neck Neoplasms
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
Survival
url https://rbc.inca.gov.br/index.php/revista/article/view/5046
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