Tor Vergata University-Hospital in the Beginning of COVID-19-Era: Experience and Recommendation for Breast Cancer Patients

In Vivo. 2020 Jun;34(3 Suppl):1661-1665. doi: 10.21873/invivo.11958.

Abstract

COVID-19 has been officially declared as a pandemic by the WHO. Italy was the first European country to be strongly affected by this outbreak. All elective and health promotion activities were reduced. Accordingly, Italian Breast Units and breast cancer (BC) screening programs scaled down significantly their activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate measures that could potentially reduce the clinical impact of COVID-19 on BC patients. Temporary recommendations are needed that could assist specialists in preventing COVID-19 infection and optimizing resources for diagnosis and treatment of BC patients.

Keywords: Breast cancer; COVID-19; Italy; screening program; tailored treatment.

Publication types

  • Practice Guideline

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Breast Neoplasms / psychology
  • Breast Neoplasms / surgery
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy*
  • COVID-19
  • Carcinoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma / psychology
  • Carcinoma / surgery
  • Carcinoma / therapy
  • Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / psychology
  • Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / surgery
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Coronavirus Infections* / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections* / prevention & control
  • Coronavirus Infections* / psychology
  • Delayed Diagnosis
  • Disease Management
  • Early Detection of Cancer
  • Elective Surgical Procedures / psychology*
  • Estrogens
  • Female
  • Hospitals, University*
  • Hospitals, Urban*
  • Humans
  • Mammography
  • Mass Screening
  • Mastectomy / psychology*
  • Neoadjuvant Therapy
  • Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / diagnostic imaging
  • Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / psychology
  • Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / surgery
  • Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / therapy
  • Pandemics* / prevention & control
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / prevention & control
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / psychology
  • Rome
  • Treatment Refusal / psychology*
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / psychology
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / surgery
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / therapy

Substances

  • Estrogens