JCO Glob Oncol. 2025 Jan;11:e2400275. doi: 10.1200/GO-24-00275. Epub 2025 Jan 23.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on breast cancer care in terms of the stage at presentation, treatment delays, and follow-up in a tertiary care center in Lebanon.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study compared patients with breast cancer who presented to a tertiary care center in Lebanon before (September 2019-December 2019) and during (September 2020-December 2020) the COVID-19 pandemic. We extracted data from the electronic medical records of patients with breast cancer who had their initial presentation, were under treatment, or were on follow-up during our period of interest.
RESULTS: Of the 333 patients, 186 visited the hospital in the pre-COVID-19 period and 147 during the pandemic, showing almost a 12% reduction in the number of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the pre-COVID period, more patients were presented for screening (52%); however, more symptomatic patients were presented during the pandemic (51.4%). Almost 54% had an advanced stage at presentation during the pandemic compared with 48% before the pandemic but with no statistical significance (P = .50). Significantly fewer patients came for chemotherapy in the COVID-19 period (38.1%) compared with the pre-COVID-19 period (52.2%). Fewer patients underwent surgery during the pandemic, although the difference was not statistically significant. Multivariate analysis showed that the COVID-19 pandemic was not associated with having an advanced stage at presentation (P = .24).
CONCLUSION: The management of breast cancer was not substantially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in a sample of Lebanese patients. However, 4 months might not be sufficient to draw a solid conclusion.
PMID:39847743 | DOI:10.1200/GO-24-00275
