Impacto da pandemia de COVID-19 nos intervalos de tempo da trajetória diagnóstica e terapêutica de pacientes com câncer da cavidade bucal

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnostic and therapeutic trajectory of patients with oral cavity cancer. A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted using secondary data from patients diagnosed with oral cancer between 2017 and 2023, who were treated at a regional reference center for oncological diagnosis and treatment in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The cases were categorized into three groups according to the year of diagnosis: pre-pandemic (2017–2019), pandemic (2020–2021), and post-pandemic (2022–2023). Demographic, clinical, pathological, and therapeutic information was collected for sample characterization and comparative analyses to identify significant variations. A shorter delay in seeking care for the initial diagnosis was observed during the pandemic, whereas in the post-pandemic period a longer interval between histopathological diagnosis and the first oncological consultation was observed. Overall survival did not show a statistically significant difference between the groups. These findings indicate that the pandemic impacted essential stages of the oral cancer care, particularly access to oncology services. This underscores the need for screening strategies and strengthening the referral networks to ensure early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, especially in the context of public health crises.