Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Diagnosis-treatment Process in Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Aim:In this study, we investigated the effect of pandemic on the diagnosis-treatment process in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy.Materials and Methods:The clinicopathological characteristics of the total patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy for one year during the Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic period and one year before the pandemic were compared. A total of 92 patients were analyzed retrospectively.Results:The clinicopathological features in the pandemic and prepandemic periods were found to be similar. While the number of patients was 26 (28.3%) during the pandemic period, it was 66 (71.7%) in the prepandemic period. Pathology reporting time, chemotherapy administration time, preoperative preparation time and overall time from diagnosis to treatment were similar (p=0.305, p=0.171, p=0.104, p=0.061, respectively). Magnetic resonance reporting time was shorter during the pandemic period (p=0.005).Conclusion:The diagnosis and treatment times of breast cancer in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the pandemic period are similar to those in the pre-pandemic period. Nevertheless, decision should be made on a patient-specific basis considering COVID-19 infection risk