ArticlePloS one2025
Impact of COVID-19 on breast cancer patients and services in a UK region: Protocol for a mixed methods study.
Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
15 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundGlobally, breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment services were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Locally, the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (NICR) reported an 11% reduction in breast cancers diagnosed April-December 2020 compared with the same period 2018-2019 despite an expected increase. This study aims to identify how the patient journey was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and how service provision can be improved.
methodsPopulation-based quantitative data will be collected by NICR for individuals diagnosed with invasive breast cancer (ICD 10 code C50). Data on presentation, investigations, comorbidities (including COVID-19 infection), molecular markers, stage at diagnosis, treatment, and survival will be examined. Two time periods will be compared: March-December 2018 (pre-COVID-19 cohort) and March-December 2020 (COVID-19 cohort). Analysis will include descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and ANOVAs. Patient experiences of living with breast cancer and interacting with the healthcare system during the pandemic (March 2020-April 2024) will be captured through an online, self-completed, anonymous cross-sectional international survey. Quality of life will be captured in the survey using the EQ-5D-3L. Detailed descriptive qualitative interviews will be undertaken to better understand the lived experience of breast cancer and recommend ways that services and support programs can effectively meet the needs of this patient group. This study benefits from the inclusion of patient representatives who have been involved since the inception of this project. DISCUSSION: This study aims to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast cancer patient outcomes in a UK region and make recommendations to improve patient care and outcomes in the short and long term.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.