Modifications in Breast Cancer Guidelines in COVID-19 Pandemic; An Iranian Consensus

Modifications in Breast Cancer Guidelines in COVID-19 Pandemic; An Iranian Consensus

Farhad Shahi, Mehrzad Mirzania, Mahdi Aghili, Mohammadreza Dabiri, Sharareh Seifi, Alireza Bary, Nafiseh Ansarinejad, Alireza Rezvani, Soroush Rad, Amirali Shahi, Ahmad Elahi, Ahmad Kaviani

Background: In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the novel COVID-19 infection a pandemic. Among high-risk patients infected by the virus, breast cancer patients are vulnerable to present more severe infections. Iran is among the countries with a high incidence of COVID-19 , and most of the routine activities of medical centers are affected by the epidemic disease. Thus, there is a need to make some modifications to international protocols for dealing with breast cancer in the affected countries. Methods: The headings of breast cancer management protocols have been discussed among the university-affiliated professors in different disciplines involved in breast cancer management. The discussions were done through a “WhatsApp” group considering the tiles and the latest news about COVID-19. Under each title, we provide the consensus of all members in the related disciplines. Recommendations and Conclusion: In each specialty, all members agreed to choose minimal intervention. The modifications aim to reduce the workload of the medical centers as well as to provide the least interface of the patients with the medical centers. The members know that some recommendations may interfere with the routine best-practice recommendations and decrease the quality measures in the patient's outcome. Therefore, these recommendations are valid just in epidemic COVID-19 situation in the country.

2020

coronavirus, covid-19, Breast cancer guidelines

10.32768/abc.20207114-21

Epidemiology and Health

Korean Society of Epidemiology

Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens