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Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11443/932

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    Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Breast Cancer Stage and Surgical Volume?
    (FRONTIERS MEDIA SA, 2022-01-01) Kara, Halil; Arikan, Akif Enes; Dulgeroglu, Onur; Tutar, Burcin; Tokat, Fatma; Uras, Cihan
    BackgroundThis study investigates the effects of COVID-19 on the breast cancer stage and the volume of breast cancer surgery in a specialized breast institute. MethodsData of 332 patients who were diagnosed and treated for breast cancer between December 2019 and November 2020 were evaluated retrospectively according to periods of pandemic. ResultsA significant decrease in the number of operations, especially upfront surgeries rather than surgeries after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, was detected in the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was found that patients with complaints were mostly admitted during this period (p = 0.024). No statistical significance was found for age, sex, side of the tumor, type of tumor, surgery to breast, and axilla. Following the early period of the pandemic, it was observed that patients with mostly luminal, early-stage, and less axillary nodal involvement (p < 0.05) were admitted, and as a result, it was founded that upfront surgeries increased, although no change in TNM staging was observed. However, it did affect the decision of initial treatment. Thus, the number of upfront surgeries was significantly higher than the NCT group (p = 0.027) following the early period. ConclusionSurgical volume is significantly affected in the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic. To overcome overload due to delayed surgeries related to pandemics, some hospitals should be spared for oncological treatments. Following the early period, mostly luminal type, early-stage patients were admitted, probably because of increased self-awareness and short wave duration, but the breast cancer stage was not affected.
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    Breast Surgery can be Performed Safely During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Single-Center Analysis
    (ISTANBUL TRAINING \& RESEARCH HOSPITAL, 2022-01-01) Arikan, Akif Enes; Kara, Halil; Dulgeroglu, Onur; Uras, Cihan
    Introduction: The Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has affected the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases including breast cancer. This study aimed to investigate whether breast surgery can be performed safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Patients who underwent surgery for breast cancer or suspicious breast lesions in the pre-pandemic, first wave, and second wave periods of the pandemic were evaluated retrospectively. Results: Data of 220 patients who underwent breast surgery were analyzed. No significant difference was found between the pre-pandemic, first wave, and second wave periods of the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of patient characteristics, complications, types of complication, Clavien-Dindo classification of complications, and complications requiring intervention. No COVID-19 related complication was also observed. Conclusion: Breast surgery can be performed safely in the COVID-19 pandemic. For safe surgery, appropriate precautionary measures against COVID-19 and COVID-19 screening should be initiated. COVID-19-free surgical pathway is also important for safe surgery. With the continuation of surgeries, fear of upstaging, subsequent requirement of more aggressive treatment for tumors, and post-pandemic overload can be prevented.