Table 1.

Suggested strategies to plan breast cancer surgery during COVID‐19 pandemic

Minimize in‐person hospital visits of the patients with breast cancer; promote telemedicine

Plan clinical assessment and investigations in a single visit

Mandatory multidisciplinary discussion of all patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer via the virtual tumor boards

Plan surgery for all patients who have completed neoadjuvant therapy; consider surgery (with caution) for patients who progress on neoadjuvant therapy for locoregional control; plan upfront surgery for early breast cancer if the MDT decides

Diligent preoperative assessment of the patient including routine COVID‐19 testing

Documenting the informed surgical consent with the additional perioperative risk of COVID‐19‐associated complications—both known and unknown

Initial admission of the patient in an isolation ward until COVID‐19 testing and its report is pending

Separate hospital for the COVID‐19 positive patients or an isolated block for them in a hospital

Religious adoption of all preventive measures to contain the spread of SARS‐CoV‐19 infection— wearing face masks, maintianing physical distancing, frequent hand washing, and using PPE as and when required

Consider surgery with minimal expected postoperative complications; avoid complex breast reconstructions

Consider daycare surgeries if feasible

Abbreviations: COVID‐19, coronavirus disease 2019; MDT, multidisciplinary tumor board; PPE, personal protective equipments; SARS‐CoV‐19, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐19.