DIFFERENCES IN AGE, STAGE AND BIOLOGY OF BREAST CANCER PRESENTATIONS AT A PRIVATE BREAST UNIT IN JOHANNESBURG BEFORE AND DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

NAZREEN KARA, DOMİNİC DA COSTA, ELLA DOUGHERTY, AMİNA MAHOMED, CASSANDRA MBANJE, CAROL ANN BENN, DOMİNİC VAN LOGGERENBERG

European Journal of Breast Health - 2025;21(2):132-136

Clinic of Internal Medicine, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa

 

Objective: Prior to the 2020 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, breast cancer (BC) was already a major healthcare concern globally, including in South Africa (SA). The pandemic forced adjustments in BC management and may have also impacted BC presentation characteristics due to social behavior changes. The aim of this study was to describe BC presentations before and during the COVID-19 pandemic at a single facility in SA.