Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on breast cancer care: report from a regional cancer centre

• Published in: The lancet oncology 2022-07, Vol.23, p.S17-S17
• Main Authors: Yadav, Budhi, Rana, Diksha, Bharti, Divya, Dahiya, Divya, Gupta, Ankita
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abstracts; Breast cancer; Chemotherapy; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Diagnosis; Lumpectomy; Mastectomy; Metastases; Pandemics; Patients; Radiation therapy; Surgery; Survival; Tumors
• ISSN: 1470-2045; 1474-5488
• DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(22)00416-8

The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply disrupted cancer care, both during and after lockdowns. In this study, we analysed the treatment delay in patients with breast cancer due to COVID-19 pandemic in India. From March 2, 2020, to March 31, 2021, patients with breast cancer who presented to the breast clinic in the department of Radiotherapy & Oncology, Regional Cancer Centre, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India were included in this analysis. Delays to the start of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy faced by patients with breast cancer were recorded. Delays to the patient treatment due to the COVID-19 pandemic were calculated and its impact on disease outcomes was analysed. 405 women were registered in the breast clinic. Diagnosis was delayed for up to 3 months for 144 (36%) patients, 4–6 months for 70 (17%) patients, 7–9 months for 43 (11%) patients, 10–11 months for 37 (9%) patients, and 12 or more months for 111 (27%) patients. Localised disease at presentation was observed in 360 (89%) patients, and metastatic disease in 45 (11%) patients. A total of 161 (40%) patients had delays to their treatment: chemotherapy was delayed for 45 (11%) patients, surgery for 56 (14%) patients, and radiotherapy for 90 (22%) patients. 19 (5%) patients were lost to follow-up. Disease progression occurred in 33 (20%) of 161 patients who had delays to start of treatment. Significantly more patients (64 [40%] of 161) who faced delays to treatment presented with T4 disease than patients who did not face delays (58 [26%] of 225; p=0·010). A significantly greater number of patients required neoadjuvant chemotherapy because of the delay at the start of treatment (90 [56%] vs 59 (26%) patients who did not face delays; p