Abstract
IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has changed health systems across the world, both in general hospitals and in oncology institutes or centres.For cancer specialists, particularly breast cancer (BC), the COVID-19 pandemic represents a combination of challenges since the hospital resources and staff have become more limited; this has obliged oncology specialists to seek a consensus and establish which patients with BC require more urgent attention and which patients can wait until there is a better control of this pandemic. The health system in Latin America has some special characteristics; in some of the countries, there are shortages which limit access to several specialities (surgery, clinical oncology and radiotherapy) in some regions.ObjectiveAfter a systematic review of the most recent literature regarding the management of BC during the COVID-19 pandemic, the main objective is to understand the position of the different Latin American Societies of Mastology in terms of available alternatives for the treatment of BC.MethodsAfter carrying out a comprehensive and exhaustive search of the most recent guides on the management of BC during the COVID-19 pandemic, the board members of the Latin American Federation of Mastology invited, via email, different specialists, all experts in BC care, to complete an anonymous survey online.The survey was distributed between 30 and 10 May 2020. The survey included 27 questions on four topics: demographic information, consultations, imaging and treatment of BC.The questionnaire was sent and then distributed to various health specialists including breast surgeons, clinical oncologists, radiation oncologists and radiologists via the Presidents of the different Latin American Societies of Mastology in 18 countries. The results are summarised as tallies based on the number of responses to each question.ResultsA total of 499 responses were received. The majority of the respondents were males (275 (55.11%)); 290 participants were over 45 years (58.11%).The questionnaire presented those surveyed with three possible answers (agree, disagree and neither agree nor disagree). The results reflect that there was consensus in the majority of situations presented. Only seven questions revealed disagreement among those responding. The results are presented as recommendations.ConclusionThe management of patients with BC presents unique challenges during the current world health situation produced by COVID-19 pandemic. Breast care specialists (surgical oncologists, breast care clinicians, clinical oncologists, radiation oncologists and radiologists) from 18 countries in Central and South America submitted through their responses and recommendations for the treatment of BC during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed health systems across the world, both in general hospitals and in oncology institutes or centres.For cancer specialists, breast cancer (BC), the COVID-19 pandemic represents a combination of challenges since the hospital resources and staff have become more limited; this has obliged oncology specialists to seek a consensus and establish which patients with BC require more urgent attention and which patients can wait until there is a better control of this pandemic
The management of patients with BC presents unique challenges during the current world health situation produced by COVID19 pandemic
Breast care specialists from 18 countries in Central and South America submitted through their responses and recommendations for the treatment of BC during the COVID-19 pandemic
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed health systems across the world, both in general hospitals and in oncology institutes or centres.For cancer specialists, breast cancer (BC), the COVID-19 pandemic represents a combination of challenges since the hospital resources and staff have become more limited; this has obliged oncology specialists to seek a consensus and establish which patients with BC require more urgent attention and which patients can wait until there is a better control of this pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has motivated Latin American specialists dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer (BC) to suggest alternatives in the management of the care of women who suffer from this disease and to collect information in the form of a questionnaire. Management of diseases of the breast and, patients with BC presents as a challenge during the current world health situation produced by the COVID-19 pandemic. 3. The Latin American recommendations supplied for the treatment of patients with BC and non-invasive or benign lesions during the COVID-19 pandemic are based on the opinion of the great cohort of breast care specialists surveyed. As of 13 May 2020, 4,276,959 people had been diagnosed with COVID SARS-2 infection, and 294,671 of those had died due to complications associated with this infection [1]
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