The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Surgical Management of Breast Cancer: Global Trends and Future Perspectives

Rocco, Nicola; Montagna, Giacomo; Micco, Rosa Di; Benson, John R.; Criscitiello, Carmen; Chen, Li; Pace, Bruno Di; Esgueva, Antonio; Harder, Yves; Karakatsanis, Andreas; Maglia, Anna; Mele, Marco; Nafissi, Nahid; Ferreira, Pedro Santos; Taher, Wafa; Tejerina, A. Casas Fernández de; Vinci, Alessio; Nava, Maurizio; Catanuto, Giuseppe

doi:10.1002/onco.13560

Cited by 44 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 27 publications

(26 reference statements)

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“…Within the field of plastic surgery, with particular reference to reconstruction and breast cancer patients, a clear correlation has been established between levels of mood and a woman’s perception of her own body image [ 8 ]. Indeed, the current pandemic has brought about the decision within most healthcare systems to defer all elective surgery, including breast reconstruction [ 9 – 11 ], which in itself is already signifying the psychological effects. Despite the fact that patients who undergo mastectomies and reconstructions in general [ 12 – 17 ] most certainly face greater challenges than patients who seek cosmetic surgery for aesthetic reasons, the psychological impact of self-isolation and the concerns connected to the pandemic cannot be ruled out as key motivators for requesting cosmetic surgery in this period.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Touch-ups, Rejuvenation, Re-dos and Revisions: Remote Communication and Cosmetic Surgery on the Rise

Padley

Pace

2021

Aesth Plast Surg

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The way in which communication takes place has undergone significant change over the last year leading to alterations regarding the way we perceive our own personal image. Indeed, the increase in remote video interaction seems to have led to an increase in the number of requests for teleconsultations with plastic surgeons in private practice (70% in the UK and 64% in the USA), the so-called Zoom Boom. The reasons connected to this increase are still under investigation, but it is likely that patients’ greater exposure to seeing their own image in online video communication for prolonged periods has highlighted what patients perceive as flaws and/or their self-image does not correspond to the same image that they see in the mirror. However, the motivations for seeking cosmetic surgery cannot be solely attributed to seeing ourselves online more frequently; the psychological impact of the pandemic (lower moods, isolation and greater concerns) may also be to blame. Therefore, the reasons patients hope to touch-up, rejuvenate, re-do or revise their “lockdown faces” need careful attention with a view to understand the extent of which the online distortion of one’s own body image may be the underlying cause. Level of Evidence V “This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .”

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

Touch-ups, Rejuvenation, Re-dos and Revisions: Remote Communication and Cosmetic Surgery on the Rise

Padley

Pace

2021

Aesth Plast Surg

Self Cite

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“…To the best of our knowledge, national and international guidelines on breast cancer treatment in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection have not yet been updated. Thus, nowadays, breast cancer patients with confirmed COVID-19 have to wait 10 days and two negative nasopharyngeal swabs before surgery [ 29 ], which may result in a worsened situation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breast Cancer Screening during COVID-19 Emergency: Patients and Department Management in a Local Experience

Maio

Tari²,

Granata

et al. 2021

JPM

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Background: During the COVID-19 public health emergency, our breast cancer screening activities have been interrupted. In June 2020, they resumed, calling for mandatory safe procedures to properly manage patients and staff. Methods: A protocol supporting medical activities in breast cancer screening was created, based on six relevant articles published in the literature and in the following National and International guidelines for COVID-19 prevention. The patient population, consisting of both screening and breast ambulatory patients, was classified into one of four categories: 1. Non-COVID-19 patient; 2. Confirmed COVID-19 in an asymptomatic screening patient; 3. suspected COVID-19 in symptomatic or confirmed breast cancer; 4. Confirmed COVID-19 in symptomatic or confirmed breast cancer. The day before the radiological exam, patients are screened for COVID-19 infection through a telephone questionnaire. At a subsequent in person appointment, the body temperature is checked and depending on the clinical scenario at stake, the scenario-specific procedures for medical and paramedical staff are adopted. Results: In total, 203 mammograms, 76 breast ultrasound exams, 4 core needle biopsies, and 6 vacuum-assisted breast biopsies were performed in one month. Neither medical nor paramedical staff were infected on any of these occasions. Conclusion: Our department organization model can represent a case of implementation of National and International guidelines applied in a breast cancer screening program, assisting hospital personnel into COVID-19 infection prevention.

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“…On March 15, 2020, the Croatian government implemented lockdown measures with a reorganized health care system to optimally manage the COVID-19 outbreak. All around the globe, similar measures of postponing health services of lower urgency such as breast reconstruction surgery [3], performing evaluations and consultations via telephone or video during virtual check-ups, allocation of protective equipment [4], earlier discharges, limiting outpatient visits [5], redeployment of health care professionals, change in treatment from longer to shorter duration, changes of intravenous to subcutaneous or oral treatments, refill of prescriptions without the patient coming to the clinic, home delivery of medications, reduction of nonessential follow-up visits, and rescheduling of appointments to reduce waiting time have been introduced [6]. The consequences of the lockdown measures could have a significant impact on cancer outcomes worldwide.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 Pandemic Effects on Breast Cancer Diagnosis in Croatia: A Population- and Registry-Based Study

et al. 2021

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Background. Our objective was to assess the effects of COVID-19 antiepidemic measures and subsequent changes in the function of the health care system on the number of newly diagnosed breast cancers in the Republic of Croatia. Subjects, Materials, and Methods. We performed a retrospective, population-and registry-based study during 2020. The comparator was the number of patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer during 2017, 2018, and 2019. The outcome was the change in number of newly diagnosed breast cancer cases. Results. The average monthly percent change after the initial lockdown measures were introduced was −11.0% (95% confidence interval − 22.0% to 1.5%), resulting in a 24% reduction of the newly diagnosed breast cancer cases in Croatia during April, May, and June compared with the same period of 2019. However, during 2020, only 1% fewer new cases were detected than in 2019, or 6% fewer than what would be expected based on the linear trend during 2017-2019. Conclusion. It seems that national health care system measures for controlling the spread of COVID-19 had a detrimental effect on the number of newly diagnosed breast cancer cases in Croatia during the first lockdown. As it is not plausible to expect an epidemiological change to occur at the same time, this may result in later diagnosis, later initiation of treatment, and less favorable outcomes in the future. However, the effect weakened after the first lockdown and COVID-19 control measures were relaxed, and it has not reoccurred during the second COVID-19 wave. Although the COVID-19 lockdown affected the number of newly diagnosed breast cancers, the oncology health care system has shown resilience and compensated for these effects by the end of 2020. The Oncologist 2021;26:1-5 Implications for Practice: It is possible to compensate for the adverse effects of COVID-19 pandemic control measures on breast cancer diagnosis relatively promptly, and it is of crucial importance to do it as soon as possible. Moreover, as shown by this study's results on the number of newly diagnosed breast cancer cases during the second wave of the pandemic, these adverse effects are preventable to a non-negligible extent.

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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Surgical Management of Breast Cancer: Global Trends and Future Perspectives

Cited by 44 publications

References 27 publications

Touch-ups, Rejuvenation, Re-dos and Revisions: Remote Communication and Cosmetic Surgery on the Rise

Touch-ups, Rejuvenation, Re-dos and Revisions: Remote Communication and Cosmetic Surgery on the Rise

Breast Cancer Screening during COVID-19 Emergency: Patients and Department Management in a Local Experience

COVID-19 Pandemic Effects on Breast Cancer Diagnosis in Croatia: A Population- and Registry-Based Study

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