TY - JOUR
T1 - Breast cancer surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: An observational clinical study of the breast surgery clinic at ospedale policlinico san martino - Genoa, Italy
AU - Fregatti, Piero
AU - Gipponi, Marco
AU - Giacchino, Maria
AU - Sparavigna, Marco
AU - Murelli, Federica
AU - Toni, Maria Luisa
AU - Calabrò, Maria Teresa
AU - Orsino, Lina
AU - Friedman, Daniele
PY - 2020/6
Y1 - 2020/6
N2 - Background: COVID-19 pandemic required a marked re-allocation of healthcare resources, including at Breast Units. A patient-tailored program was developed to assess its efficacy regarding prevention of COVID-19 infection among patients with breast cancer undergoing surgery and healthcare workers (HCWs). Patients and Methods: From March 9th to April 9th 2020, 91 patients were selected for elective surgery by means of: i) Prehospital screening aimed at avoiding hospitalization of symptomatic or suspicious COVID-19 patients, and ii) prioritisation of surgical procedure according to specific disease features. Results: Eighty-five patients (93.4%) were fit for surgery, while five patients (5.5%) were temporarily excluded through 'telephone triage'; another two patients were excluded at in-hospital triage. A total of 71 out of 85 patients (83.5%) were diagnosed with invasive cancer, most of whom were undergoing breast-conserving surgery (61 out of 85 patients, 71.8%). The mean in-hospital stay was 2.2 days (SD=0.7 days). After hospital discharge, no patient needed re-admission due to post-operative complications; moreover, no COVID-19 infection among patients or HCWs was detected. Conclusion: Safe breast cancer surgery was accomplished for both patients and HCWs by means of a careful preoperative selection of patients and in-hospital preventative measures. This screening program can be transferred to high-volume Breast Units and it may be useful in implementing European Community recommendations for prevention of COVID-19 infection.
AB - Background: COVID-19 pandemic required a marked re-allocation of healthcare resources, including at Breast Units. A patient-tailored program was developed to assess its efficacy regarding prevention of COVID-19 infection among patients with breast cancer undergoing surgery and healthcare workers (HCWs). Patients and Methods: From March 9th to April 9th 2020, 91 patients were selected for elective surgery by means of: i) Prehospital screening aimed at avoiding hospitalization of symptomatic or suspicious COVID-19 patients, and ii) prioritisation of surgical procedure according to specific disease features. Results: Eighty-five patients (93.4%) were fit for surgery, while five patients (5.5%) were temporarily excluded through 'telephone triage'; another two patients were excluded at in-hospital triage. A total of 71 out of 85 patients (83.5%) were diagnosed with invasive cancer, most of whom were undergoing breast-conserving surgery (61 out of 85 patients, 71.8%). The mean in-hospital stay was 2.2 days (SD=0.7 days). After hospital discharge, no patient needed re-admission due to post-operative complications; moreover, no COVID-19 infection among patients or HCWs was detected. Conclusion: Safe breast cancer surgery was accomplished for both patients and HCWs by means of a careful preoperative selection of patients and in-hospital preventative measures. This screening program can be transferred to high-volume Breast Units and it may be useful in implementing European Community recommendations for prevention of COVID-19 infection.
KW - Breast cancer
KW - Clinical management
KW - COVID-19
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U2 - 10.21873/invivo.11959
DO - 10.21873/invivo.11959
M3 - Article
C2 - 32503827
AN - SCOPUS:85086008696
VL - 34
SP - 1667
EP - 1673
JO - In Vivo
JF - In Vivo
SN - 0258-851X
ER -