Recommendations for triage, prioritization and treatment of breast cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic
Giuseppe Curigliano,
Maria Joao Cardoso,
Philip Poortmans,
Oreste Gentilini,
Gabriella Pravettoni,
Ketti Mazzocco,
Nehmat Houssami,
Olivia Pagani,
Elzbieta Senkus,
Fatima Cardoso
Affiliations
Giuseppe Curigliano
Istituto Europeo di Oncologia, IRCCS, Department of Early Drug Development, Italy; University of Milano, Milano, Italy; Corresponding author. Division of Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, University of Milan, Department of Oncology and Haemato-Oncology, Via Giuseppe Ripamonti n. 435, 20141, Milan, Italy.
Maria Joao Cardoso
Breast Unit, Champalimaud Clinical Centre/Champalimaud Foundation, Portugal; Nova Medical School, Lisbon, Portugal
Philip Poortmans
Iridium Kankernetwerk, Department of Radiation Oncology, Wilrijk-Antwerp, Belgium; University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wilrijk-Antwerp, Belgium
Oreste Gentilini
Breast Surgery, San Raffaele University and Research Hospital, Milano, Italy
Gabriella Pravettoni
Istituto Europeo di Oncologia, IRCCS, Department of Early Drug Development, Italy; University of Milano, Milano, Italy
Ketti Mazzocco
Istituto Europeo di Oncologia, IRCCS, Department of Early Drug Development, Italy; University of Milano, Milano, Italy
Nehmat Houssami
Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Olivia Pagani
Service Interdisciplinaire de Cancérologie, Hopital Riviera-Chablais, Rennaz, Vaud, Geneva University Hospitals, Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK), Switzerland
Elzbieta Senkus
Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
Fatima Cardoso
Breast Unit, Champalimaud Clinical Centre/Champalimaud Foundation, Portugal
The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) associated disease (COVID-19) outbreak seriously challenges globally all health care systems and professionals. Expert projections estimate that despite social distancing and lockdown being practiced, we have yet to feel the full impact of COVID-19. In this manuscript we provide guidance to prepare for the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on breast cancer patients and advise on how to triage, prioritize and organize diagnostic procedures, surgical, radiation and medical treatments.
