Increasing stage and depth of invasion (DOI) in patients with tongue cancer during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A time series study

Abstract Background and Aims The outbreak of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic had a significant effect on the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancers. Therefore, in this study, we decided to discuss the impact of COVID‐19 on the stage and histological characteristics of patients with tongue cancer from March 2020 to March 2021 and compared to the previous 3 years. Methods In this time series study, patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the operated tongue cancer were divided into two groups. Patients who operated from March 2020 to March 2021 (n = 36) and patients who operated 3 years ago (n = 70) were included in the study. The results were analyzed using SPSS 21 software. Results The study found that during the pandemic, the stage of tongue cancer in patients who underwent surgery was higher than before the pandemic (p = 0.01). Moreover, the depth of invasion was significantly higher during the COVID‐19 outbreak in the pathology sample of the patients (p = 0.006), while the involvement of lymph nodes and other variables between the groups was not statistically significant. Conclusion COVID‐19 has adverse effects on the diagnosis and treatment of tongue cancer. Also, it leads to advanced stages of the tumor and increases the depth of invasion of the cancer. Hence, it is important to plan correctly and appropriately for the diagnosis and treatment of these patients in conditions such as the COVID‐19 pandemic.