Head and neck cancer surgery in COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Italy

• Published in: Oral oncology Vol. 107; p. 104835
• Main Authors: Riva, Giuseppe, Pizzo, Claudia, Fassone, Elisabetta, Pecorari, Giancarlo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2020
• Subjects: Aged; Betacoronavirus - genetics; Betacoronavirus - isolation & purification; Betacoronavirus - pathogenicity; Clinical Laboratory Techniques - standards; Clinical Laboratory Techniques - statistics & numerical data; Coronavirus; Coronavirus Infections - diagnosis; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronavirus Infections - prevention & control; Coronavirus Infections - transmission; COVID-19; COVID-19 Testing; False Negative Reactions; Female; Head and neck cancer; Head and Neck Neoplasms - surgery; Head and neck surgery; Hematology, Oncology, and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Infection Control - instrumentation; Infection Control - standards; Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional - prevention & control; Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient - prevention & control; Italy - epidemiology; Male; Nasopharynx - surgery; Nasopharynx - virology; Otolaryngology; Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures - standards; Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures - statistics & numerical data; Pandemics - prevention & control; Personal Protective Equipment - standards; Pneumonia, Viral - diagnosis; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Pneumonia, Viral - prevention & control; Pneumonia, Viral - transmission; Preoperative Care - instrumentation; Preoperative Care - standards; Preoperative Care - statistics & numerical data; RNA, Viral - isolation & purification; SARS-CoV-2; Surgical Oncology - standards; Tertiary Care Centers - statistics & numerical data; Time-to-Treatment; Italy; COVID-19; Head and neck cancer; Coronavirus; Head and neck surgery
• ISSN: 1368-8375; 1879-0593; 1879-0593
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2020.104835

•COVID-2019 pandemic represents a great challenge both in itself and for time-sensitive diseases.•Head and neck cancer surgery is a high risk procedure for COVID-19.•Possibility of SARS-CoV-2 false negative at pre-operative evaluation in asymptomatic subjects should not let guard down in the post-operative time.