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Lin HW, Lin CY, Yeh TP, Lin TC, Yeh WC, Yang LC, Chen YC, Chiu LY, Wu CT, Chen CJ, Chen YF, Wang HC, Wu YC, Liu LC. Quality of care in the course of subcutaneous versus intravenous trastuzumab administration in patients with breast cancer: an integrated time-motion study with mixed-methods research. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e059288. [PMID: 36927581 PMCID: PMC10030473 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to compare the time required and concerns raised by various perspectives of participants regarding administering subcutaneous and intravenous trastuzumab for patients with breast cancer (BC). DESIGN This observational time-motion study design with mixed-methods research (cross-sectional surveys and semistructured interviews) was conducted. The time spent on preparing or administering trastuzumab by different healthcare professionals (HCPs) was recorded. The data were analysed by descriptive/inferential statistical analyses, followed by thematic analyses. SETTING Outpatient and inpatient administration units of a single medical centre in Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS The study included patients with early-stage BC who received subcutaneous or intravenous trastuzumab (n=93), and HCPs including two attending physicians, a nurse practitioner, two pharmacists and two nurses. RESULT Based on the perspectives of patients and HCPs, the subcutaneous form of trastuzumab was more efficient, less expensive and produced less discomfort in outpatient units than inpatient units. More participants preferred the subcutaneous form over the intravenous form in both outpatient and inpatient units. Pharmacists and nurse practitioners spent threefold more time on patients when preparing and administering the intravenous form in both outpatient and inpatient units. The concerns raised by patients and HCPs varied in certain aspects, including the injection skills, speed, mental distress (eg, needle phobia) and pain associated with the subcutaneous form. Almost all patients preferred receiving the subcutaneous form in outpatient units after the initial COVID-19 outbreak. CONCLUSION Patients with early-stage BC preferred receiving subcutaneous trastuzumab in outpatient units rather than inpatient units or the intravenous form before and after the COVID-19 outbreak. Such findings may serve as real-world evidence to facilitate better quality of care regarding administration of subcutaneous or intravenous trastuzumab in medical settings, and its feasible resolutions to balance the quality, concerns and efficiency of anticancer administration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiang-Wen Lin
- School of Pharmacy and Graduate Institute, College of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Pharmacy System, Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Pharmacy, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Yuan Lin
- School of Pharmacy and Graduate Institute, College of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Pei Yeh
- School of Nursing, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Nursing, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Tien-Chao Lin
- School of Pharmacy and Graduate Institute, College of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Pharmacy, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Chen Yeh
- Department of Nursing, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Lin-Chun Yang
- School of Pharmacy and Graduate Institute, College of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chieh Chen
- School of Pharmacy and Graduate Institute, College of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Pharmacy, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Li-Ying Chiu
- Department of Pharmacy, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Teng Wu
- Surgical Department, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Jung Chen
- Surgical Department, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Fen Chen
- Surgical Department, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hwei-Chung Wang
- Surgical Department, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Chung Wu
- Surgical Department, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Liang-Chih Liu
- Surgical Department, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
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Velasco Yanez R, Frota Goyanna N, Carvalho Fernandes A, Moura Barbosa Castro R, Holanda da Cunha G, Silva Ferreira I, Miranda Mattos S, Magalhães Moreira T. Palliative Care in Breast Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2023; 40:351-364. [PMID: 35581537 PMCID: PMC9127630 DOI: 10.1177/10499091221101879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has harmed the provision of palliative care (PC) services for women with breast cancer due to all the restrictions that came along with the virus. OBJECTIVE To map the available evidence on the situation of PC in breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS A scoping review was carried out based on the methodology proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. The search was conducted in nine databases, one electronic repository, and one library, using controlled vocabularies. RESULTS Twenty-nine articles and seven documents were included. The majority (11.4% each) were published in the United Kingdom, Italy, and the United States, 38.9% addressed palliative radiotherapy (RT), and 47.2% consisted of recommendations. From the content analysis, five categories were obtained focused on the recommendations on changes in palliative treatment guidelines and the response of PC teams to the evolving crisis. CONCLUSIONS The evidence pointed to the management of general PC, palliative RT, palliative chemotherapy, management of metastatic breast cancer, and use of technologies in palliative care. No recommendations were found to manage frequent symptoms in PC, indicating the need to develop primary studies that investigate these aspects in detail in this vulnerable group. IMPLICATIONS The results contained in this document can provide professionals working in this field of care with a global view of how other teams have dealt with the pandemic, thereby identifying the best guidelines to apply in their reality, taking into account the clinical and social situation of each patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romel Velasco Yanez
- Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil,Romel Velasco Yanez, Department of Nursing, Universidade Federal do Ceará, 1115 Alexandre Baraúna St, Rodolfo Teófilo, Fortaleza 60020-181, Brazil.
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Charos D, Andriopoulou M, Vivilaki V. Breast cancer and COVID-19: The need for enhanced psychological support for women with breast cancer during the pandemic. Eur J Midwifery 2022; 6:69. [PMID: 36591333 PMCID: PMC9773269 DOI: 10.18332/ejm/156899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Charos
- Department of Midwifery, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece,General Anticancer- Oncology Hospital ‘Agios Savvas’, Athens, Greece
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Yahi F, Lequesne J, Rigal O, Morel A, Leheurteur M, Grellard JM, Leconte A, Clarisse B, Joly F, Lefèvre-Arbogast S. Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and associated factors in breast cancer patients during the first COVID-19 lockdown in France. Front Psychol 2022; 13:768043. [PMID: 36186387 PMCID: PMC9521190 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.768043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction We aimed to study post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in breast cancer (BC) patients during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Materials and methods We included BC patients receiving medical treatment during the first COVID-19 lockdown in France. PTSD symptoms were evaluated using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) questionnaire. Quality of life [Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G)], cognitive complaints [Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog)], insomnia [Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)], and psychosocial experiences during lockdown were also evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify clinical factors (from medical records) and psychosocial factors (from questionnaires) associated with PTSD symptoms. Results Among the 253 included BC patients (mean age: 58), 46% had metastatic cancer and 52% were treated by chemotherapy alone. COVID-19-induced adjustments in medical oncology practices were experienced by 27% of patients (mainly teleconsultations). No case of COVID-19 was reported; 23% of BC patients had PTSD symptoms. Compared to other patients, patients with PTSD symptoms had more fears relative to COVID-19 infection (83 vs. 60%, p = 0.009), had more feeling of isolation (69 vs. 41%, p = 0.003), and had more prescription or increased use of psychotropic drugs (49 vs. 20%, p = 0.001). In the multivariable model adjusted for clinical factors, fears relative to COVID-19 and increased use of psychotropic drugs were independently associated with PTSD symptoms (OR [95% CI] = 3.01 [1.20–8.44] and 3.45 [1.48–8.17], respectively). Besides, patients with PTSD symptoms had poor quality of life (QoL), and more cognitive complaints and insomnia. Conclusion Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms were observed in 23% of BC patients during the first COVID-19 lockdown in France. Psychological supports are needed for patients treated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feriel Yahi
- Clinical Research Department, Centre François Baclesse, Caen, France
- Department of Health, University of Caen Normandie, Caen, France
| | - Justine Lequesne
- Clinical Research Department, Centre François Baclesse, Caen, France
- *Correspondence: Justine Lequesne,
| | - Olivier Rigal
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Henri Becquerel, Rouen, France
| | - Adeline Morel
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centre François Baclesse, Caen, France
| | | | | | - Alexandra Leconte
- Clinical Research Department, Centre François Baclesse, Caen, France
| | | | - Florence Joly
- Clinical Research Department, Centre François Baclesse, Caen, France
- Department of Health, University of Caen Normandie, Caen, France
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centre François Baclesse, Caen, France
- INSERM U1086 ANTICIPE, Caen, France
| | - Sophie Lefèvre-Arbogast
- Clinical Research Department, Centre François Baclesse, Caen, France
- INSERM U1086 ANTICIPE, Caen, France
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Teng H, Dang W, Curpen B. Impact of COVID-19 and Socioeconomic Factors on Delays in High-Risk MRI Breast Cancer Screening. Tomography 2022; 8:2171-2181. [PMID: 36136878 PMCID: PMC9498669 DOI: 10.3390/tomography8050182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate if there was a delay in high-risk MRI breast cancer screening in our local region, if this delay is ongoing despite COVID-19 vaccinations, and if demographic and socioeconomic factors are associated with these delays. Six-hundred and sixty-five high-risk breast patients from 23 January 2018–30 September 2021 were included. Delays were determined by comparing the time in between each patients’ MRI screening exams prior to the COVID-19 pandemic to the time in between MRI screening exams during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the time in between exams when our patients started receiving vaccinations. Delays were analyzed via logistical regression with demographic and socioeconomic factors to determine if there was an association between these factors and delays. Significant time delays in between MRI screening exams were found between the pre-COVID timeframe compared to during the height of COVID. Significant time delays also persisted during the timeframe after patients started getting vaccinations. There were no associations with delays and socioeconomic or demographic factors. Significant time delays were found in between MRI high-risk breast cancer screening examinations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These delays were not exacerbated by demographic or socioeconomic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Teng
- Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
- Correspondence:
| | - Wilfred Dang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences, 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Belinda Curpen
- Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences, 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada
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Vaidya JS, Vaidya UJ, Baum M, Bulsara MK, Joseph D, Tobias JS. Global adoption of single-shot targeted intraoperative radiotherapy (TARGIT-IORT) for breast cancer—better for patients, better for healthcare systems. Front Oncol 2022; 12:786515. [PMID: 36033486 PMCID: PMC9406153 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.786515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Micro abstractTargeted intraoperative radiotherapy (TARGIT-IORT) is delivered immediately after lumpectomy for breast cancer. We estimated its impact. At least 44,752 patients with breast cancer were treated with TARGIT-IORT in 260 centres in 35 countries, saving >20 million miles of travel and preventing ~2,000 non–breast cancer deaths. The TARGIT-IORT website (https://targit.org.uk/travel) provides maps and tools to find the nearest centre offering TARGIT-IORT and travel savings.BackgroundTargeted intraoperative radiotherapy (TARGIT-IORT) delivers radiotherapy targeted to the fresh tumour bed exposed immediately after lumpectomy for breast cancer. TARGIT-A trial found TARGIT-IORT to be as effective as whole-breast radiotherapy, with significantly fewer deaths from non–breast cancer causes. This paper documents its worldwide impact and provides interactive tools for clinicians and patients.MethodCentres using TARGIT-IORT provided the date of the first case and the total number of patients. We plotted these data on a customised Google Map. An interactive web-based tool provided directions to the closest centre. Using the data from the TARGIT-A trial, we estimated the total savings in travel miles, carbon footprint, and the number of non–breast cancer deaths that might be prevented.ResultsData from 242 (93%) of the 260 centres treating patients from 35 countries were available. From the first patient treated in 1998 to early 2020, at least 44,752 women with breast cancer have been treated with TARGIT-IORT. The TARGIT-IORT website (https://targit.org.uk/travel) displays the Google Map of centres with number of cases and an interactive tool for patients to find the nearest centre offering TARGIT-IORT and their travel savings. Scaling up to the already treated patients, >20 million miles of travel would have been saved and about 2,000 deaths prevented.ConclusionOne can ascertain the number of patients treated with a novel treatment. These data show how widely TARGIT-IORT has now been adopted and gives an indication of its beneficial worldwide impact on a large number of women with breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayant Sharad Vaidya
- Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Jayant Sharad Vaidya, ;
| | - Uma Jayant Vaidya
- Medical Sciences Division Brasenose College, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Baum
- Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Max Kishor Bulsara
- Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, WA, Australia
| | - David Joseph
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Jeffrey S. Tobias
- Department of Clinical Oncology, University College London Hospitals, London, United Kingdom
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Bogaert B, Buisson V, Kozlakidis Z, Saintigny P. Organisation of cancer care in troubling times: A scoping review of expert guidelines and their implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2022; 173:103656. [PMID: 35337970 PMCID: PMC8942466 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2022.103656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This scoping review mapped the main themes in existing expert guidelines for cancer care issued during the COVID-19 crisis from the period of March 2020-August 2021. The guidelines published during the research period principally relate to the first two waves in Europe and until the beginning of the vaccination campaign. They elaborated recommendations for cancer care reorganisation, in particular triage and quality of care issues. The article highlights the ethical, epistemological, as well as practical reasons that guidelines were not always followed to provide some lessons learned for future crises to enable better guideline development processes. We also elaborate early evidence on the impact of triage decisions and different perspectives on cancer care reorganisation from ethics and social science literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda Bogaert
- Department of Social Sciences and Humanities, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.
| | - Victoria Buisson
- Department of Social Sciences and Humanities, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.
| | - Zizis Kozlakidis
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, Lyon, France.
| | - Pierre Saintigny
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France; Univ Lyon, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Lyon, France.
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Yahya S, Fatima T, Irwin AL, Clayton M, Spooner D, Fernando I, Stevens A, Sherriff J, Henderson D. Ultrahypofractionated breast radiotherapy during SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic, beyond fast-forward trial: a local experience. J Radiother Pract. [DOI: 10.1017/s1460396921000650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background:
During the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust Oncology Department incorporated the ultrahypofractionated regime of 26Gy/5 fractions alongside the moderate hypofractionated regime of 40Gy/15 fractions as part of local adjuvant breast radiotherapy treatment (RT) for eligible patients. We conducted a local study to assess the real-life experience of patients undergoing ultrahypofractionated schedule to compare feasibility and toxicity to the fast-forward trial during the COVID − 19 pandemic.
Methods:
A single institution, retrospective, qualitative study. Patients included had early-stage breast cancer and received adjuvant radiotherapy between 23 March 2020 and 31 May 2020, a total of 211 patients. Inclusion was irrespective of any other neoadjuvant/adjuvant treatments. Data were collected retrospectively for treatment dose, boost dose and toxicity.
Results:
Of the total 211 patients, 85 were treated with 26Gy in 5# and 19 patients received a boost as per the fast-forward protocol. Of these 85 patients, 15·9% did not report any skin toxicity post-treatment. 63·5% of patients reported RTOG Grade 1, 15·9% had RTOG Grade 2, and 1·6% reported RTOG Grade 3 skin toxicity. 3·2% of the patients could not be contacted for follow-up. Of the 19 patients who received a breast boost, 10·53% reported no skin changes. 78·9% reported Grade 1 skin toxicity. Both Grades 2a and 2b skin toxicity were reported by 5·26% each. The patient demographics and tumour characteristics in our study cohort were comparable to those within the fast-forward trial. In terms of post-RT skin toxicity, fewer patients reported any toxicity in the UHB patient cohort versus those in the trial, and the number of Grade 2/3 toxicities reported was also low. A delay in toxicity reporting from 2 weeks for 40Gy/15 to 3 weeks for 26Gy/5 was observed.
Conclusion:
Our study concluded that offering ultrahypofractionation was convenient for patients; reducing the number of hospital visits during the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic appeared safe in terms of acute post-RT-related skin toxicity. The reduced hospital visits limited exposure of patients and staff to the SARS-CoV-2 virus while also ensuring efficient use of Radiotherapy Department resources. Local follow-up protocols have been amended to ensure review at 3 weeks for the 26Gy/5 schedule to acknowledge the delay in acute toxicity development. To date, there is only 5-year toxicity and relapse data available from the fast-forward trial; therefore, hypofractionation schedules should be offered to patients as long as they fulfil the criteria and understand the limitations of the study as well as accelerated peer review processes in the face of the pandemic.
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Tang A, Neeman E, Vuong B, Arasu VA, Liu R, Kuehner GE, Savitz AC, Lyon LL, Anshu P, Seaward SA, Patel MD, Habel LA, Kushi LH, Mentakis M, Thomas ES, Kolevska T, Chang SB. Care in the time of COVID-19: impact on the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in a large, integrated health care system. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2022; 191:665-675. [PMID: 34988767 PMCID: PMC8731186 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-021-06468-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSES To delineate operational changes in Kaiser Permanente Northern California breast care and evaluate the impact of these changes during the initial COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place period (SiP, 3/17/20-5/17/20). METHODS By extracting data from institutional databases and reviewing electronic medical charts, we compared clinical and treatment characteristics of breast cancer patients diagnosed 3/17/20-5/17/20 to those diagnosed 3/17/19-5/17/2019. Outcomes included time from biopsy to consultation and treatment. Comparisons were made using Chi-square or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. RESULTS Fewer new breast cancers were diagnosed in 2020 during the SiP period than during a similar period in 2019 (n = 247 vs n = 703). A higher percentage presented with symptomatic disease in 2020 than 2019 (78% vs 37%, p < 0.001). Higher percentages of 2020 patients presented with grade 3 (37% vs 25%, p = 0.004) and triple-negative tumors (16% vs 10%, p = 0.04). A smaller percentage underwent surgery first in 2020 (71% vs 83%, p < 0.001) and a larger percentage had neoadjuvant chemotherapy (16% vs 11%, p < 0.001). Telehealth utilization increased from 0.8% in 2019 to 70.0% in 2020. Times to surgery and neoadjuvant chemotherapy were shorter in 2020 than 2019 (19 vs 26 days, p < 0.001, and 23 vs 28 days, p = 0.03, respectively). CONCLUSIONS During SiP, fewer breast cancers were diagnosed than during a similar period in 2019, and a higher proportion presented with symptomatic disease. Early-stage breast cancer diagnoses decreased, while metastatic cancer diagnoses remained similar. Telehealth increased significantly, and times to treatment were shorter in 2020 than 2019. Our system continued to provide timely breast cancer treatment despite significant pandemic-driven disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Tang
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Elad Neeman
- Department of Medical Oncology, San Francisco Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, San Francisco, USA
| | - Brooke Vuong
- Department of Surgery, South Sacramento Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, Sacramento, USA
| | - Vignesh A Arasu
- Department of Radiology, Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center, Vallejo, USA
| | - Raymond Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, San Francisco Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, San Francisco, USA.,Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, USA
| | - Gillian E Kuehner
- Department of Surgery, Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center, Vallejo, USA
| | - Alison C Savitz
- Department of Surgery, Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center, Walnut Creek, USA
| | - Liisa L Lyon
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, USA
| | - Prachi Anshu
- Department of Surgery, Fremont Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, Fremont Medical Center - 39400 Paseo Padre Pkwy, Fremont, CA, 94538, USA
| | - Samantha A Seaward
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, USA
| | - Milan D Patel
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center, South San Francisco, USA
| | - Laurel A Habel
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, USA
| | - Lawrence H Kushi
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, USA
| | - Margaret Mentakis
- Department of Surgery, South Sacramento Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, Sacramento, USA
| | - Eva S Thomas
- Department of Medical Oncology, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, USA
| | - Tatjana Kolevska
- Department of Medical Oncology, Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center, Vallejo, USA
| | - Sharon B Chang
- Department of Surgery, Fremont Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, Fremont Medical Center - 39400 Paseo Padre Pkwy, Fremont, CA, 94538, USA.
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Marks DK, Budhathoki N, Kucharczyk J, Fa’ak F, D’Abreo N, Kwa M, Plasilova M, Dhage S, Soe PP, Becker D, Hindenburg A, Lee J, Winner M, Okpara C, Daly A, Shah D, Ramdhanny A, Meyers M, Oratz R, Speyer J, Novik Y, Schnabel F, Jones SA, Adams S. OUP accepted manuscript. Oncologist 2022; 27:89-96. [PMID: 35641208 PMCID: PMC8895753 DOI: 10.1093/oncolo/oyab042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Provide real-world data regarding the risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and mortality in breast cancer (BC) patients on active cancer treatment. Methods Clinical data were abstracted from the 3778 BC patients seen at a multisite cancer center in New York between February 1, 2020 and May 1, 2020, including patient demographics, tumor histology, cancer treatment, and SARS-CoV-2 testing results. Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection by treatment type (chemotherapy [CT] vs endocrine and/or HER2 directed therapy [E/H]) was compared by Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting. In those diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection, Mann–Whitney test was used to a assess risk factors for severe disease and mortality. Results Three thousand sixty-two patients met study inclusion criteria with 641 patients tested for SARS-COV-2 by RT-PCR or serology. Overall, 64 patients (2.1%) were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection by either serology, RT-PCR, or documented clinical diagnosis. Comparing matched patients who received chemotherapy (n = 379) with those who received non-cytotoxic therapies (n = 2343) the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 did not differ between treatment groups (weighted risk; 3.5% CT vs 2.7% E/H, P = .523). Twenty-seven patients (0.9%) expired over follow-up, with 10 deaths attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Chemotherapy was not associated with increased risk for death following SARS-CoV-2 infection (weighted risk; 0.7% CT vs 0.1% E/H, P = .246). Advanced disease (stage IV), age, BMI, and Charlson’s Comorbidity Index score were associated with increased mortality following SARS-CoV-2 infection (P ≤ .05). Conclusion BC treatment, including chemotherapy, can be safely administered in the context of enhanced infectious precautions, and should not be withheld particularly when given for curative intent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas K Marks
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY, USA
- Corresponding author: Douglas K. Marks, Department of Medicine, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, 120 Mineola Blvd, Suite 500 Mineola, NY 11501, USA.
| | | | | | - Faisal Fa’ak
- NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island, Mineola, NY, USA
| | - Nina D’Abreo
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY, USA
| | - Maryann Kwa
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Manhattan, NY, USA
| | - Magdalena Plasilova
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Surgery, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Manhattan, NY, USA
| | - Shubhada Dhage
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Surgery, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Manhattan, NY, USA
| | - Phyu Phyu Soe
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel Becker
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexander Hindenburg
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY, USA
| | - Johanna Lee
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Megan Winner
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Surgery, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY,USA
| | | | - Alison Daly
- NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island, Mineola, NY, USA
| | - Darshi Shah
- NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island, Mineola, NY, USA
| | | | - Marleen Meyers
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Manhattan, NY, USA
| | - Ruth Oratz
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Manhattan, NY, USA
| | - James Speyer
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Manhattan, NY, USA
| | - Yelena Novik
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Manhattan, NY, USA
| | - Freya Schnabel
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Surgery, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Manhattan, NY, USA
| | - Simon A Jones
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Manhattan, NY, USA
| | - Sylvia Adams
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Manhattan, NY, USA
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11
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Anand SV, Shuy YK, Lee PSS, Lee ES. One Year on: An Overview of Singapore's Response to COVID-19-What We Did, How We Fared, How We Can Move Forward. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:ijerph18179125. [PMID: 34501718 PMCID: PMC8431401 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18179125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Background—One year has passed since the first COVID-19 case in Singapore. This scoping review commemorates Singaporean researchers that have expanded the knowledge on this novel virus. We aim to provide an overview of healthcare-related articles published in peer-reviewed journals, authored by the Singapore research community about COVID-19 during the first year of the pandemic. Methods—This was reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) protocol. It included healthcare-related articles about COVID-19 published between 23 January 2020 and 22 January 2021 with a Singapore-affiliated author. MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and local journals were searched. The articles were screened independently by two reviewers. Results—The review included 504 articles. Most of the articles narrated the changes to hospital practice (210), while articles on COVID-19 pathology (94) formed most of the non-narrative papers. Publications on public health (61) and the indirect impacts to clinical outcomes (45) were other major themes explored by the research community. The remaining articles detailed the psychological impact of the pandemic (35), adaptations of medical education (30), and narratives of events (14). Conclusion—Amidst a resurgence of community cases involving variant COVID-19 strains, the resources from the research community will provide valuable guidance to navigate these uncertain times.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Vivek Anand
- Ministry of Health Holdings, Singapore 099253, Singapore;
| | - Yao Kang Shuy
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 308207, Singapore;
| | - Poay Sian Sabrina Lee
- Clinical Research Unit, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics, Singapore 138543, Singapore;
| | - Eng Sing Lee
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 308207, Singapore;
- Clinical Research Unit, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics, Singapore 138543, Singapore;
- Correspondence:
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12
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Siavashpour Z, Goharpey N, Mobasheri M. Radiotherapy based management during Covid-19 pandemic - A systematic review of presented consensus and guidelines. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2021; 164:103402. [PMID: 34214608 PMCID: PMC8242203 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2021.103402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatment management of cancer patients in the radiation oncology departments during the current COVID-19 pandemic is challenging. A systematic review of published consensus/guidelines on the role of radiotherapy prioritization, suggested treatment protocols, and set up management was undertaken based on the PRISMA protocol and through PubMed/PMC, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science databases until 01/20/2021. One hundred and sixty-eight publications or regional consensus were included. Summary of recommendations contained: (1) using hypo-fractionated (Hypo-F) regimens for therapeutic/palliative indications, (2) delaying radiotherapy for several weeks or until pandemic over, (3) omitting radiotherapy by replacement of alternative therapies or active surveillance, (4) applying safer patients' setup and preparation protocols, (5) developing telemedicine/telehealth service. To conclude, it is essential to carefully weigh the risk of exposure to COVID-19 infection and the benefit of treating cancer patients during the pandemic. Trying to have a global guideline facing this or any other probable crisis is crucial for health care service.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Siavashpour
- Radiotherapy Oncology Department, Shohada-e Tajrish Educational Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Neda Goharpey
- Radiotherapy Oncology Department, Shohada-e Tajrish Educational Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
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13
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Zhou J, Liu Y, Xu M, Mei L, Ruan S, Zhang N, Yi P, Chen Q, Tan J. Management of Breast Cancer Patients During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: The Experience From the Epicenter of China, Wuhan. Clin Breast Cancer 2021; 22:e1-e7. [PMID: 34078565 PMCID: PMC8099546 DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2021.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Background The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is a global public health event. Wuhan used to be the epicenter of China and finally controlled the outbreak through city lockdown and many other policies. However, the pandemic and the prevention strategies had a huge impact on the medical care procedures for patients with breast cancer, leading to the delay or interruption of anticancer therapies. Patients and Methods To better serve patients with breast cancer under the premise of epidemic control, many strategies have been proposed and optimized in our center. One of the most important parts of these strategies is the promotion of telemedicine, including online consultation, online prescription, and drug mailing services. Results In keeping with the city and hospital policies, we have also introduced stricter ward management policies and more precise care. Conclusion Here, we collected the diagnosis and treatment process of patients with breast cancer in our center during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, which was found to be correlated to a reduction in chemotherapy-related myelosuppression and hepatic dysfunction, hoping to provide a reference for other cancer centers that may suffer from the similar situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zhou
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuyin Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ming Xu
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Mei
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shengnan Ruan
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ning Zhang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Pengfei Yi
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qianzhi Chen
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Tan
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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14
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Abd-Alrazaq A, Schneider J, Mifsud B, Alam T, Househ M, Hamdi M, Shah Z. A Comprehensive Overview of the COVID-19 Literature: Machine Learning-Based Bibliometric Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e23703. [PMID: 33600346 PMCID: PMC7942394 DOI: 10.2196/23703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Shortly after the emergence of COVID-19, researchers rapidly mobilized to study numerous aspects of the disease such as its evolution, clinical manifestations, effects, treatments, and vaccinations. This led to a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19-related publications. Identifying trends and areas of interest using traditional review methods (eg, scoping and systematic reviews) for such a large domain area is challenging. OBJECTIVE We aimed to conduct an extensive bibliometric analysis to provide a comprehensive overview of the COVID-19 literature. METHODS We used the COVID-19 Open Research Dataset (CORD-19) that consists of a large number of research articles related to all coronaviruses. We used a machine learning-based method to analyze the most relevant COVID-19-related articles and extracted the most prominent topics. Specifically, we used a clustering algorithm to group published articles based on the similarity of their abstracts to identify research hotspots and current research directions. We have made our software accessible to the community via GitHub. RESULTS Of the 196,630 publications retrieved from the database, we included 28,904 in our analysis. The mean number of weekly publications was 990 (SD 789.3). The country that published the highest number of COVID-19-related articles was China (2950/17,270, 17.08%). The highest number of articles were published in bioRxiv. Lei Liu affiliated with the Southern University of Science and Technology in China published the highest number of articles (n=46). Based on titles and abstracts alone, we were able to identify 1515 surveys, 733 systematic reviews, 512 cohort studies, 480 meta-analyses, and 362 randomized control trials. We identified 19 different topics covered among the publications reviewed. The most dominant topic was public health response, followed by clinical care practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, clinical characteristics and risk factors, and epidemic models for its spread. CONCLUSIONS We provide an overview of the COVID-19 literature and have identified current hotspots and research directions. Our findings can be useful for the research community to help prioritize research needs and recognize leading COVID-19 researchers, institutes, countries, and publishers. Our study shows that an AI-based bibliometric analysis has the potential to rapidly explore a large corpus of academic publications during a public health crisis. We believe that this work can be used to analyze other eHealth-related literature to help clinicians, administrators, and policy makers to obtain a holistic view of the literature and be able to categorize different topics of the existing research for further analyses. It can be further scaled (for instance, in time) to clinical summary documentation. Publishers should avoid noise in the data by developing a way to trace the evolution of individual publications and unique authors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa Abd-Alrazaq
- Division of Information and Computing Technology, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Jens Schneider
- Division of Information and Computing Technology, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Borbala Mifsud
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Tanvir Alam
- Division of Information and Computing Technology, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mowafa Househ
- Division of Information and Computing Technology, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mounir Hamdi
- Division of Information and Computing Technology, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Zubair Shah
- Division of Information and Computing Technology, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
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15
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Brown JM, Wasson MD, Marcato P. Triple-Negative Breast Cancer and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Clinical Management Perspectives and Potential Consequences of Infection. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:296. [PMID: 33467411 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13020296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in challenges to cancer management, exacerbated by limited clinical resources and caution in preventing COVID-19 transmission between patients and healthcare professionals. The neglect of breast cancer (in particular, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)) patients during the outbreak could negatively impact their overall survival, as delays in treatment and consultations provide vital time for tumor progression and metastasis. Herein, we review the shifting clinical management of TNBCs during the COVID-19 outbreak. The suggested treatment recommendations can hopefully minimize virus exposure without sacrificing patient care during times when healthcare systems are overburdened. Further, we review published RNA-seq data to assess the theoretical infectability of metastatic TNBCs to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. These analyses highlight the potential of the virus to infect TNBC cells. Given the known increased susceptibility of cancer cells to viral infection, this additional host cell reservoir may make patients with metastatic disease particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 morbidities. Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the need for prioritization strategies for breast cancer treatment, where patients with aggressive disease, such as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are a high priority for clinical intervention. In this review, we summarize how COVID-19 has thus far impacted the management of TNBC and highlighted where more information is needed to hone shifting guidelines. Due to the immunocompromised state of most TNBC patients receiving treatment, TNBC management during the pandemic presents challenges beyond the constraints of overburdened healthcare systems. We conducted a literature search of treatment recommendations for both primary and targeted TNBC therapeutic strategies during the COVID-19 outbreak and noted changes to treatment timing and drugs of choice. Further, given that SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory virus, which has systemic consequences, management of TNBC patients with metastatic versus localized disease has additional considerations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Published dataset gene expression analysis of critical SARS-CoV-2 cell entry proteins in TNBCs suggests that the virus could in theory infect metastasized TNBC cells it contacts. This may have unforeseen consequences in terms of both the dynamics of the resulting acute viral infection and the progression of the chronic metastatic disease. Undoubtedly, the results thus far suggest that more research is required to attain a full understanding of the direct and indirect clinical impacts of COVID-19 on TNBC patients.
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16
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Kwek JW, Chan JJ, Kanesvaran R, Wang MLC, Neo PSH, Chia CS, Tham CK, Chew LST, Tan HK, Yap SP, Dent RA, Hwang WYK, Lim ST. Early Outcomes of a National Cancer Center's Strategy Against COVID-19 Executed Through a Disease Outbreak Response Taskforce. JCO Oncol Pract 2021; 17:e343-e354. [PMID: 33439694 DOI: 10.1200/op.20.00535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE We present the strategy of a comprehensive cancer center organized to make operations pandemic proof and achieve continuity of cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Disease Outbreak Response (DORS) measures implemented at our center and its satellite clinics included strict infection prevention, manpower preservation, prudent resource allocation, and adaptation of standard-of-care treatments. Critical day-to-day clinical operations, number of persons screened before entry, staff temperature monitoring, and personal protection equipment stockpile were reviewed as a dashboard at daily DORS taskforce huddles. Polymerase chain reaction swab tests performed for patients and staff who met defined criteria for testing of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection were tracked. Descriptive statistics of outpatient attendances and treatment caseloads from February 3 to May 23, 2020, were compared with the corresponding period in 2019. RESULTS We performed COVID-19 swabs for 80 patients and 93 staff, detecting three cancer patients with community-acquired COVID-19 infections with no nosocomial transmission. Patients who required chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery and patients who are on maintenance treatment continued to receive timely treatment without disruption. The number of intravenous chemotherapy treatments was maintained at 97.8% compared with 2019, whereas that of weekly radiotherapy treatments remained stable since December 2019. All cancer-related surgeries proceeded without delay, with a 0.3% increase in workload. Surveillance follow-ups were conducted via teleconsultation, accounting for a 30.7% decrease in total face-to-face clinic consultations. CONCLUSION Through the coordinated efforts of a DORS taskforce, it is possible to avoid nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 transmissions among patients and staff without compromising on care delivery at a national cancer center.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Wei Kwek
- Division of Oncologic Imaging, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore.,Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Jack J Chan
- Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ravindran Kanesvaran
- Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michael L C Wang
- Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Division of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - Patricia S H Neo
- Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Division of Supportive & Palliative Care, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - Claramae S Chia
- Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Division of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chee Kian Tham
- Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lita S T Chew
- Department of Pharmacy, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hiang Khoon Tan
- Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Division of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - Swee Peng Yap
- Division of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - Rebecca A Dent
- Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - William Y K Hwang
- Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Executive Offices, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - Soon Thye Lim
- Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore.,Executive Offices, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
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17
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Abstract
"Starting in Wuhan, China, followed quickly in the United States in January 2020, an outbreak of a novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, escalated to a global pandemic by March. Significant disruptions occurred to breast imaging, including deferred screening mammography, triaging diagnostic breast imaging, and changes in breast cancer care algorithms. This article summarizes the effect of the global pandemic-and efforts to curtail its spread-on both breast cancer care and on breast imaging practices including effects on patients, clinical workflow, education, and research."
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Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe E Freer
- Breast Imaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, University of Utah Health / Huntsman Cancer Institute, 30 North 1900 East #1A071, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA.
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18
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Abd-alrazaq A, Schneider J, Mifsud B, Alam T, Househ M, Hamdi M, Shah Z. A Comprehensive Overview of the COVID-19 Literature: Machine Learning–Based Bibliometric Analysis (Preprint).. [DOI: 10.2196/preprints.23703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Shortly after the emergence of COVID-19, researchers rapidly mobilized to study numerous aspects of the disease such as its evolution, clinical manifestations, effects, treatments, and vaccinations. This led to a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19–related publications. Identifying trends and areas of interest using traditional review methods (eg, scoping and systematic reviews) for such a large domain area is challenging.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to conduct an extensive bibliometric analysis to provide a comprehensive overview of the COVID-19 literature.
METHODS
We used the COVID-19 Open Research Dataset (CORD-19) that consists of a large number of research articles related to all coronaviruses. We used a machine learning–based method to analyze the most relevant COVID-19–related articles and extracted the most prominent topics. Specifically, we used a clustering algorithm to group published articles based on the similarity of their abstracts to identify research hotspots and current research directions. We have made our software accessible to the community via GitHub.
RESULTS
Of the 196,630 publications retrieved from the database, we included 28,904 in our analysis. The mean number of weekly publications was 990 (SD 789.3). The country that published the highest number of COVID-19–related articles was China (2950/17,270, 17.08%). The highest number of articles were published in bioRxiv. Lei Liu affiliated with the Southern University of Science and Technology in China published the highest number of articles (n=46). Based on titles and abstracts alone, we were able to identify 1515 surveys, 733 systematic reviews, 512 cohort studies, 480 meta-analyses, and 362 randomized control trials. We identified 19 different topics covered among the publications reviewed. The most dominant topic was public health response, followed by clinical care practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, clinical characteristics and risk factors, and epidemic models for its spread.
CONCLUSIONS
We provide an overview of the COVID-19 literature and have identified current hotspots and research directions. Our findings can be useful for the research community to help prioritize research needs and recognize leading COVID-19 researchers, institutes, countries, and publishers. Our study shows that an AI-based bibliometric analysis has the potential to rapidly explore a large corpus of academic publications during a public health crisis. We believe that this work can be used to analyze other eHealth-related literature to help clinicians, administrators, and policy makers to obtain a holistic view of the literature and be able to categorize different topics of the existing research for further analyses. It can be further scaled (for instance, in time) to clinical summary documentation. Publishers should avoid noise in the data by developing a way to trace the evolution of individual publications and unique authors.
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