Mortality risk in post-operative head and neck cancer patients during the SARS-Cov2 pandemic: early experiences

Purpose: The objective of this report is to outline our early experience with head and neck cancer patients in a tertiary referral center, during the SARS-Cov2 pandemic, and to describe the poor outcomes of patients who acquired the infection.

Methods: In this case series from a single-center, national tertiary referral center for head and neck cancer we describe three consecutive head and neck cancer patients who contracted SARS-Cov2 during their inpatient stay.

Results: Of the three patients described in our case series that contracted SARS-Cov2, two patients died from SARS-Cov2 related illness.

Conclusion: We have demonstrated the significant implications that SARS-Cov2 has on head and neck cancer patients, with 3 patients acquiring SARS-Cov2 in hospital, and 2 deaths in our that cohort. We propose a complete separation in the location of where these patients are being managed, and also dedicated non-SARS-Cov2 staff for their peri-operative management.

Level of evidence: IV.