BMC Cancer (Nov 2024)

The optimal timing of breast cancer surgery after COVID-19 infection: an observational study

  • Zhao Bi,
  • Wei-Hao Cheng,
  • Wen-Hao Zheng,
  • Tong-Yue Ren,
  • Peng Chen,
  • Yan-Bing Liu,
  • Peng-Fei Qiu,
  • Wei-Li Wang,
  • Yong-Sheng Wang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-024-13080-1
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 24, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Abstract Purpose It is controversial for the optimal time of breast cancer surgery after COVID-19 infection. Purpose was to assess the risk of postoperative complication in breast cancer patients with COVID-19 infection, in order to select optimal surgery timing after COVID-19 infection. Methods Breast cancer patients infected with COVID-19 and performed surgery between December 20th, 2022 to March 20th, 2023 were included in this prospective study (n = 577). Patients performed surgery between May 1, 2019 to October 1, 2019 were listed as control group (n = 329). They had not been infected with COVID-19 before surgery. Patients were grouped by time of surgery relative to COVID-19 infection. Database was evaluated using logistic regression. Results Patients infected with COVID-19 had a higher incidence of complications after surgery compared to that not-COVID-19 infection (6.59% vs. 3.04%). Multivariable logistic analysis demonstrated that timing of surgery was associated with complications (OR = 4.253; 95% CI: 0.855–21.153, P = 0.044). Patients performed surgery within 2 weeks after COVID-19 infection had the highest rates of complication (17.65%) when compared with other groups, while the incidence was decreased into 5.51% when surgery 2 weeks or more after COVID-19 infection. With a median follow-up was 10 months, all patients with complications were recovered without serious complications or death, which had no adverse effect on subsequent anti-tumor therapy. Conclusions It needs to be cautious when breast cancer surgery was performed within 2 weeks after COVID-19 infection. Although the incidence of complications in patients undergoing surgery 2 weeks after COVID-19 infection is still slightly high, surgery might be recommended considering urgency of treatment, good prognosis of complications and the lack of influence on subsequent adjuvant therapy.

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