TY  - JOUR
TI  - Changes and disruptions in diagnosis, treatment and
follow-up of breast cancer during two periods of the
COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
AB  - Objective: COVID-19 disease, which rapidly became a pandemic, led to significant changes in the provision of health services. This included radical
changes to the supply and delivery of routine services to release resources for emergency care. During this process, a range of restrictions were imposed
including the recommended rules to be followed before, during and after surgery. Health services provided for breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and
follow-up have also undergone enforced changes meaning the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with priority has come to the fore. In this
study, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey, between March 11, 2020 and May 31, 2020 was assessed in comparison to pre-pandemic practice
in terms of divided into two periods, and breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.
Material and Methods: Surgeons dealing with breast cancer treatment and registered to SENATURK (Turkish Senology Academy) were contacted on-
line. The period was divided into two, between March 11th and April 30th and May 1st to May 31st
, 2020. Surgeons were requested to complete two elec-
tronic evaluation forms, one for each period, investigating change in practice. Only complete responses for both periods were included in the analysis.
Results: There were 93 respondents. Except for less multidisciplinary breast councils, there was no delay in radiological and pathological diagnoses. The
number of breast cancer surgeries increased in Period 2, and more COVID-19 positive breast cancer patients were operated in Period 2. Benign breast
patients were delayed less frequently in Period 2. In the statistical analysis performed between the two groups, it was found that only a significant dif-
ference was in the number of outpatients with benign breasts.
Conclusion: With sufficient awareness of the risks of COVID-19 and with individual protection, breast cancer treatment was not affected during the
assessed period of active pandemic in Turkey.
AU  - Güler, Sertaç Ata
AU  - ŞİMŞEK, Turgay
AU  - GÜLER, Özlem Özkan
AU  - CANTÜRK, Nuh Zafer
DO  - 10.47717/turkjsurg.2021.5069
PY  - 2021
JO  - Turkish Journal of Surgery
VL  - 37
IS  - 3
SN  - 2564-6850
SP  - 222
EP  - 231
DB  - TRDizin
UR  - http://search/yayin/detay/512569
ER  -