Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39543062›Full record

ArticleBreast cancer research and treatment2025

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast cancer surgeries in a Canadian population.

Gary Ko, Qing Li, Ning Liu, Eitan Amir, Andrea Covelli, Antoine Eskander, Vivianne Freitas, C Anne Koch, Jenine Ramruthan, Emma Reel and 3 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Breast cancer research and treatment, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Gary KoDivision of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Qing LiICES, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Ning LiuICES, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Eitan AmirDivision of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Department of Medicine, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Andrea CovelliDivision of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Antoine EskanderICES, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Vivianne FreitasJoint Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
C Anne KochRadiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Jenine RamruthanDivision of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre - University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Emma ReelDivision of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre - University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Amanda RobertsDivision of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Toni ZhongDivision of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre - University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Tulin D CilDivision of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. Tulin.Cil@uhn.ca.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted breast cancer (BC) surgeries. Most studies showing reduced BC surgical volumes during the pandemic are from single institutions, few have described volume changes in different types of surgical procedures. This study aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic on BC surgery volumes and types at a population level.

methodsPatients diagnosed with BC between January 1, 2018, and June 25, 2022, in Ontario, Canada, were analysed from population-based datasets. Time periods were defined as pre-pandemic (Jan 2018-Mar 2020), immediate pandemic (Mar-Jun 2020), and peri-pandemic (Jun 2020-Jun 2022). Weekly BC surgery volume and type (lumpectomy, mastectomy, or mastectomy with immediate reconstruction) were evaluated using segmented negative binomial regression models.

resultsAmong 44 226 patients, 50 440 surgeries were performed. Weekly BC surgeries decreased by 16.9% during the immediate pandemic compared to pre-pandemic levels (180.5 vs. 217.1; p = 0.03). Surgical volumes recovered to pre-pandemic levels by June 2021. Mastectomies represented a higher proportion of BC surgeries during the pandemic (31.1% pre, 36.3% immediate, 32.4% peri-pandemic; p < 0.01). The proportion of mastectomies with immediate reconstruction remained stable during the immediate pandemic but increased in the peri-pandemic (20.1% vs. 17%; p < 0.01).

conclusionThere was a significant reduction in all BC surgeries during the pandemic. Mastectomies accounted for a higher proportion of BC surgeries in the pandemic period however access to reconstruction was maintained. Surgical volumes recovered within a year despite ongoing pandemic hospitalizations. Future studies are needed to explore the pandemic's long-term impact on BC care.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsCOVID-19MastectomyAdultAgedCanadaFemaleHumansMammaplastyMastectomy, SegmentalMiddle AgedOntarioPandemicsSARS-CoV-2Breast cancerCanadaCOVID-19 pandemicImmediate reconstructionLumpectomyMastectomyPopulation analysisSurgical volumes

Identifiers

PMID39543062
PMCPMC11787185

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.