Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37421460›Full record

ArticleJournal of cancer research and clinical oncology2023

Head and neck oncology management in the time of COVID-19: results of a head and neck cancer center.

Silvia Heckel, Christopher Bohr, Johannes Meier, Julia Maurer, Julian Kuenzel, Karolina Mueller, Oliver Koelbl, Torsten Reichert, Veronika Vielsmeier, Isabella Gruber

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Treatment of oropharyngeal cancer during the COVID-19 lockdown - outcomes for patients treated during the pandemic.Reports of practical oncology and radiotherapy : journal of Greatpoland Cancer Center in Poznan and Polish Society of Radiation Oncology · 2024
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Silvia HeckelUniversity of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
Christopher BohrDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
Johannes MeierDepartment of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
Julia MaurerUniversity Cancer Center Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss Allee 11, Regensburg, Germany.
Julian KuenzelDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
Karolina MuellerCenter for Clinical Studies, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
Oliver KoelblDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
Torsten ReichertDepartment of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
Veronika VielsmeierDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
Isabella GruberDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany. Isabella.Gruber@klinik.uni-regensburg.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7435-9337

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeGiven the concerns about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care, we analyzed the treatment quality of the head and neck cancer center Regensburg before and throughout 2 years of the pandemic. We included data of 3 years to reflect the extended pandemic period as new developments continued to influence its course.

methodsThis retrospective review included all patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer in 2019, 2020, and 2021 who had not started treatment elsewhere prior to being referred to the head and neck cancer center. We compared tumor characteristics and times to therapy of patients diagnosed before COVID-19 in 2019 (n = 253), during COVID-19 in 2020 (n = 206), and in a phase of partial normalization in a persistent pandemic situation in 2021 (n = 247).

resultsOur data revealed no decrease in diagnoses or drift in stages toward more advanced stages. There was an increased percentage of diagnoses confirmed at the head and neck cancer center from 2019 (57.3%) to 2020 (68.0%) and to 2021 (65.6%) compared to confirmation at other institutions (2019, 42.7%; 2020, 32.0%; 2021, 34.4%; P = 0.041). Surgery and radiotherapy were performed with the same frequency. The median days between diagnosis and surgery were decreased in 2020 (19.5 days; P = 0.049) and 2021 (20.0 days; P = 0.026) in comparison to 2019 (23 days). The days to radiotherapy were not affected.

conclusionThe data indicate a consistent oncological performance for head and neck cancer patients in all waves of the pandemic and thereafter without a decrease in diagnoses or shift in stages.

Indexed as

COVID-19Head and Neck NeoplasmsHumansMedical OncologyPandemicsRetrospective StudiesCancer careCOVID-19Head and neck cancerOncological performanceOncologic surgeryPandemic

Identifiers

PMID37421460
PMCPMC10465623

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.