Material and methods
This was a retrospective review of all head and neck cancer patients
presented to the multidisciplinary tumour board (MTB) during the
12-month period from March 1, 2020 through February 28, 2021. This
patient group was compared to patients presented to the MTB during the
prior, pre-pandemic 12-month period (February 1, 2019 to February 28,
2020).
Patients who had received any prior head and neck treatment at the GPCC
were excluded from the analysis due to the risk of bias as these
patients would have had greater access than newly-diagnosed patients to
the outpatient department. Patients with thyroid cancer were also
excluded from the study to avoid influencing the study results given
that the preoperative assessment and post-operative treatment of these
patients is performed outside GPCC.
Patient demographic and clinical variables evaluated included sex; age
at diagnosis; distance from the GPCC; and dates of the following: first
visit, radiological diagnosis, pathology specimen, MTB meeting, and
initiation of primary and adjuvant treatment; and centre where
radiological and histopathologic diagnoses were performed (GPCC or
other). Tumour characteristics, including primary site, TNM status and
nodal status were recorded. Primary treatment was categorised as
radical-intent (surgery, radiotherapy, and/or induction chemotherapy) or
palliative treatment (radiotherapy and/or best supportive care).
Due to retrospective nature of the study, the approval of the Research
Ethics Board was not considered necessary.
This study has been reported in line with the STROBE
guidelines3