ABSTRACT
Guidance emphasised multidisciplinary management, balancing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection during treatment and the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on re-structured health services to enable delivery of cancer care while safeguarding resources for all patients, particularly those with COVID-19 infection who required urgent care. NHS England and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended prioritisation of systemic anti-cancer treatments into priority levels depending upon the chance of success, and altering delivery of systemic anti-cancer treatments in order to reduce immunosuppressive side effects, and to minimise hospital visits. To determine the impact of changes to breast cancer care across the UK during the first wave of the pandemic, a multicentre national cohort study of consecutive patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer was conducted. Guidelines issued by the European Society of Medical Oncology recommended a switch to telemedicine where possible for patients who present with new symptoms or side effects.
