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