Advanced Stages and Increased Need for Adjuvant Treatments in Breast Cancer Patients: The Effect of the One-year COVID-19 Pandemic.
COVID-19
adjuvant treatment
breast cancer
lockdown
oncological treatments delay
screening suspension
Journal
Anticancer research
ISSN: 1791-7530
Titre abrégé: Anticancer Res
Pays: Greece
ID NLM: 8102988
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
May 2021
May 2021
Historique:
received:
02
03
2021
revised:
17
03
2021
accepted:
19
03
2021
entrez:
6
5
2021
pubmed:
7
5
2021
medline:
19
5
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
The COVID-19 lockdown includes restrictive measures and temporary health system reorganization. Resources were shifted to COVID-19 patients, screening programs were temporary suspended, and oncological care suffered slow-down. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of these measures on breast cancer patients. All breast cancer patients referred to our unit from February 21, 2019 to February 21, 2021 were enrolled. Type of treatments and surgery, TNM, tumor diameter, and predictive and prognostic factors were analyzed. Out of 445 patients with a breast cancer diagnosis, 182 (40.9%) were enrolled in the COVID-19 group (from February 21, 2010 to February 21, 2021). These patients were compared with 263 (59.1%) patients pre-COVID-19. Tumor diameters were bigger in the COVID-19 group. Type of surgery and N staging were statistically significantly different. Extreme advanced disease incidence was significantly different between the groups (2.7% COVID-19 group vs. 0 pre-COVID-19 group, p=0.011). Incidence of post-surgical radiation-therapy was higher in the COVID-19 group. Other variables analyzed were comparable without a statistically significant difference. COVID-19 led to increased tumor dimensions, advanced N-staging, and increased need for adjuvant treatments in breast cancer.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND/AIM
OBJECTIVE
The COVID-19 lockdown includes restrictive measures and temporary health system reorganization. Resources were shifted to COVID-19 patients, screening programs were temporary suspended, and oncological care suffered slow-down. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of these measures on breast cancer patients.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
METHODS
All breast cancer patients referred to our unit from February 21, 2019 to February 21, 2021 were enrolled. Type of treatments and surgery, TNM, tumor diameter, and predictive and prognostic factors were analyzed.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Out of 445 patients with a breast cancer diagnosis, 182 (40.9%) were enrolled in the COVID-19 group (from February 21, 2010 to February 21, 2021). These patients were compared with 263 (59.1%) patients pre-COVID-19. Tumor diameters were bigger in the COVID-19 group. Type of surgery and N staging were statistically significantly different. Extreme advanced disease incidence was significantly different between the groups (2.7% COVID-19 group vs. 0 pre-COVID-19 group, p=0.011). Incidence of post-surgical radiation-therapy was higher in the COVID-19 group. Other variables analyzed were comparable without a statistically significant difference.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
COVID-19 led to increased tumor dimensions, advanced N-staging, and increased need for adjuvant treatments in breast cancer.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33952500
pii: 41/5/2689
doi: 10.21873/anticanres.15050
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
2689-2696Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2021 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.