Pandemic effects in breast cancer patients treated with radiotherapy

Abstract

Objective: We know that the risk of contracting COVID-19 infection increases due to the immunosuppression of cancer patients in the pandemic and the mortality rates due to infection are higher than the general population. In our study, it was aimed to observe the effects of the pandemic in patients who received radiotherapy for breast cancer, and to analyze the factors affecting their severe COVID-19 infection. Materials and Method: In this study122 patients who were treated and followed up between 01/05/2019-31/12/21 were evaluated during their outpatient clinic controls with a 20-question form created by us after taking their consent. Results: The median age was 50 (range 25-84), and 62 (50.8%) patients had COVID-19 disease. Fatigue was observed in all patients. 86% of the patients had been vaccinated. 63.1% of them were using masks for precaution. The rate of vitamin use was 21.3%. None of the patients with severe disease used vitamins (p:0.61). Vitamin use was less in early-stage patients than in advanced-stage patients (p:0.005). Age, performance, stage, having the disease before or after treatment, time of vaccination were not found statistically significant on severe disease. Conclusion: It has been seen that vaccination, mask and distance are the most effective methods in the prevention of COVID-19 infection in the radiotherapy process of oncology patients. A larger number of patients is needed to evaluate the effect of vitamin use and the type of vitamin used on the severity of COVID-19 infection.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• breast cancer
• oncology
• pandemic

Radyoterapi uygulanan meme kanserli hastalarda pandemi etkileri

Abstract

Amaç: Pandemide kanser hastalarının immünsupresif olmaları nedeniyle COVID-19 enfeksiyonuna yakalanma riskinin arttığını ve enfeksiyona bağlı mortalite oranlarının genel popülasyondan daha yüksek olduğunu biliyoruz. Çalışmamızda meme kanseri nedeniyle radyoterapi yapılan hastalarda pandemi etkilerini gözlemlemek, COVID-19 enfeksiyonunu ağır geçirmelerini etkileyen faktörleri analiz etmek amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmada 01/05/2019-31/12/21 tarihleri arasında tedavi uyguladığımız ve takipteki 122 hasta, onamları alınarak tarafımızca oluşturulan 20 soruluk bir form ile poliklinik kontrolleri sırasında değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Medyan yaş 50 (aralık 25-84) olup, 62 (%50,8) hasta COVID-19 hastalığını geçirmişti. Hastaların tamamında halsizlik yorgunluk görülmüştü. Hastaların %86’sı aşı yaptırmıştı. %63,1’i önlem için maske kullanmaktaydı. Vitamin kullanımı oranı %21,3’tü. Hastalığı ağır geçirenlerin hiçbiri vitamin kullanmamıştı (p:0,61). Erken evre hastalarda ileri evre hastalara göre vitamin kullanımı daha azdı (p:0,005). Yaş, performans, evre, hastalığı tedavi öncesi veya sonrasında geçirmiş olmak, aşının yapılış zamanı hastalığın ağır geçirilmesi üzerinde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulunmamıştır. Sonuç: Onkoloji hastalarının radyoterapi sürecinde COVID-19 enfeksiyonundan korunmada aşı, maske ve mesafenin en etkili yöntemler olduğu görülmüştür. Vitamin kullanımı ve kullanılan vitamin türünün COVID-19 enfeksiyonunun şiddetine etkisini değerlendirebilmek için daha fazla hasta sayısına ihtiyaç vardır.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• meme kanseri
• onkoloji
• pandemi

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