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Prodhan AHMSU, Islam DZ, Khandker SS, Jamiruddin MR, Abdullah A, Godman B, Opanga S, Kumar S, Sharma P, Adnan N, Pisana A, Haque M. Breast Cancer Management in the Era of Covid-19; Key Issues, Contemporary Strategies, and Future Implications. BREAST CANCER (DOVE MEDICAL PRESS) 2023; 15:51-89. [PMID: 36733464 PMCID: PMC9888303 DOI: 10.2147/bctt.s390296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, several priority diseases were not getting sufficient attention. Whilst breast cancer is a fatal disease affecting millions worldwide, identification and management of these patients did not initially attract critical attention to minimize the impact of lockdown, post-lockdown, and other measures. Breast cancer patients' conditions may not remain stable without proper care, worsening their prognosis. Proper care includes the timely instigation of surgery, systemic therapy, and psychological support. This includes low-and middle-income countries where there are already concerns with available personnel and medicines to adequately identify and treat these patients. Consequently, there was a need to summarize the current scenario regarding managing breast cancer care during COVID-19 across all countries, including any guidelines developed. We systematically searched three scientific databases and found 76 eligible articles covering the medical strategies of high-income countries versus LMICs. Typically, diagnostic facilities in hospitals were affected at the beginning of the pandemic following the lockdown and other measures. This resulted in more advanced-stage cancers being detected at initial presentation across countries, negatively impacting patient outcomes. Other than increased telemedicine, instigating neo-adjuvant endocrine therapy more often, reducing non-essential visits, and increasing the application of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy to meet the challenges, encouragingly, there was no other significant difference among patients in high-income versus LMICs. Numerous guidelines regarding patient management evolved during the pandemic to address the challenges posed by lockdowns and other measures, which were subsequently adopted by various high-income countries and LMICs to improve patient care. The psychological impact of COVID-19 and associated lockdown measures, especially during the peak of COVID-19 waves, and the subsequent effect on the patient's mental health must also be considered in this high-priority group. We will continue to monitor the situation to provide direction in future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dewan Zubaer Islam
- Department of Microbiology, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, 1342, Bangladesh
| | - Shahad Saif Khandker
- Department of Biochemistry, Gonoshasthaya Samaj Vittik Medical College, Dhaka, 1344, Bangladesh
| | | | - Adnan Abdullah
- Unit of Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, (National Defence University of Malaysia), Kuala Lumpur, 57000, Malaysia
| | - Brian Godman
- Department of Pharmacoepidemiology, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK,Centre of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates,Division of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa, South Africa
| | - Sylvia Opanga
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Santosh Kumar
- Department of Periodontology and Implantology, Karnavati School of Dentistry, Karnavati University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Paras Sharma
- Department of Pharmacognosy, BVM College of Pharmacy, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, 474006, India
| | - Nihad Adnan
- Department of Microbiology, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, 1342, Bangladesh,Correspondence: Nihad Adnan, Department of Microbiology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh, Email ;Mainul Haque, The Unit of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, Universiti Pertahanan, Nasional Malaysia (National Defence University of Malaysia), Kem Perdana Sugai Besi, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia, Tel +60109265543, Email
| | - Alice Pisana
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mainul Haque
- The Unit of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, Universiti Pertahanan, Nasional Malaysia (National Defence University of Malaysia), Kuala Lumpur, 57000, Malaysia
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Salha LA, Silva JCS, Martins CA, Araújo CSDC, da Silva EAS, Alves AG, de Paula CR, de Lima FHA, de Moura VS, de Menezes JE, Brasil VV, Barbosa MA. Caregivers of Individuals with Cancer in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 19:ijerph19010185. [PMID: 35010444 PMCID: PMC8751169 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Caregivers of individuals with cancer in the COVID-19 pandemic are faced with the demands of cancer and the health needs produced by it, along with their own health and self-care needs, and the uncertainties of expectations and risks. A qualitative analytical phenomenological study with caregivers of individuals with cancer registered at the state referral hospital supplying medications, who answered the sociodemographic assessment questionnaires and semi-structured questions about their feelings and perceptions in the COVID-19 pandemic. Bardin's content analysis was used, with methodological quality assessed using SRQR Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research and the MAXQDA software. Most of the caregivers are women, married, Catholic, of low income and education, aged between 30 and 60 years, optimistic, comply with health guidelines regarding social distancing, use of masks, and routine hand hygiene, do not practice regular physical activities, mention concern for their own physical and financial survival, and that of their family. The main need identified in the affective sphere was to reframe contact with family members, seeking to strengthen the bonds of affection. The feeling of emotional vulnerability shows the importance of building effective public policies for social support consistent with the improvement of health care for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Abou Salha
- Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania 74605-050, Brazil; (J.C.S.S.); (C.A.M.); (E.A.S.d.S.); (F.H.A.d.L.); (V.S.d.M.); (M.A.B.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Julio Cesar Souza Silva
- Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania 74605-050, Brazil; (J.C.S.S.); (C.A.M.); (E.A.S.d.S.); (F.H.A.d.L.); (V.S.d.M.); (M.A.B.)
| | - Cleusa Alves Martins
- Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania 74605-050, Brazil; (J.C.S.S.); (C.A.M.); (E.A.S.d.S.); (F.H.A.d.L.); (V.S.d.M.); (M.A.B.)
| | | | - Edinamar Aparecida Santos da Silva
- Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania 74605-050, Brazil; (J.C.S.S.); (C.A.M.); (E.A.S.d.S.); (F.H.A.d.L.); (V.S.d.M.); (M.A.B.)
| | - Angela Gilda Alves
- Faculty of Nursing, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania 74605-080, Brazil; (C.S.d.C.A.); (A.G.A.); (V.V.B.)
| | | | - Flavio Henrique Alves de Lima
- Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania 74605-050, Brazil; (J.C.S.S.); (C.A.M.); (E.A.S.d.S.); (F.H.A.d.L.); (V.S.d.M.); (M.A.B.)
| | - Veidma Siqueira de Moura
- Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania 74605-050, Brazil; (J.C.S.S.); (C.A.M.); (E.A.S.d.S.); (F.H.A.d.L.); (V.S.d.M.); (M.A.B.)
| | - José Elmo de Menezes
- Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Goiás, Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás, Goiania 74605-900, Brazil;
| | - Virginia Visconde Brasil
- Faculty of Nursing, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania 74605-080, Brazil; (C.S.d.C.A.); (A.G.A.); (V.V.B.)
| | - Maria Alves Barbosa
- Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania 74605-050, Brazil; (J.C.S.S.); (C.A.M.); (E.A.S.d.S.); (F.H.A.d.L.); (V.S.d.M.); (M.A.B.)
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