Consequences of coronavirus disease in women with breast cancer

Abstract

Background: The ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic produces widespread concerns, fear and stress throughout the world, and our country is no exception in that regard, which is a natural and normal human reaction to this inconsistent and uncertain situation for us all. Methods: For the purpose of this study a sociodemographic questionnaire was devised as well as a Serbian version of the self-reported Depression, anxiety and stress scale-21. Results: The average age ± [standard deviation (SD)] of the participants in the study was 49.20 ± 11.2 years. Regarding the depression score, 55/93 examinees (59.13%) had a normal score in the first examination, whereas in the second it rose to 57/93 (61.29%) and in the third it was 52/93 (58.06%). A normal anxiety score in March 2020 was seen in 52/93 (55.91%), whereas in September that year it was 53/93 (56.98%) and in March 2021 it was 39/93 (41.93%). The average value of stress score at the measurement in March 2020 was 5.51, lower in September (4.92) and in March 2021 it was 5.63. Conclusion: The results of this study refer to the process of clinical assessment and monitoring of breast cancer patients with evident symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. Adequate counseling about COVID-19 is therefore a priority in an attempt to alleviate its psychological impact in these patients.