Prevision of multidisciplinary head and neck cancer survivorship care during the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic

Head Neck. 2020 Jul;42(7):1668-1673. doi: 10.1002/hed.26256. Epub 2020 May 18.

Abstract

The 2019 Coronavirus Pandemic challenges the delivery of care for patients with head and neck cancer. An important aspect of this care has been the evolution of enhanced survivorship services, which include surveillance for recurring cancer and prevention of second primaries. The application of evidence-based approaches to the identification and management of treatment and tumor-related toxicities has embraced the use of validated patient-reported outcomes instruments, health promotion, and care coordination. In this manuscript, we describe how our multidisciplinary team of survivorship providers has accommodated to the need to provide patients with social distancing while acknowledging the importance of continued care during treatment and through the spectrum of survivorship.

Keywords: COVID-19; cancer; coronavirus; head and neck; survivorship; treatment effects.

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus*
  • COVID-19
  • Chemoradiotherapy
  • Continuity of Patient Care / organization & administration*
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Deglutition Disorders / etiology
  • Deglutition Disorders / rehabilitation
  • Dental Care
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Infection Control
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / prevention & control
  • Nutrition Assessment
  • Occupational Exposure / prevention & control
  • Pandemics
  • Patient Care Team*
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measures
  • Pennsylvania / epidemiology
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Physical Examination
  • Physical Therapy Modalities
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Quality Assurance, Health Care
  • Quality of Life
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Speech Therapy
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Survivorship*
  • Symptom Assessment
  • Telemedicine

Grants and funding