Perceived Distress in Women with Breast Cancer during COVID-19 Outbreak: A Multicenter Italian Study

Breast Cancer (BC) patients during the COVID-19 outbreak could have an increased risk of developing anxiety and depression. This study aimed to assess the emotional distress of women with BC during the COVID-19 pandemic. Women with a diagnosis of primary BC, at any stage of diagnosis and treatment (i.e., at the moment of diagnosis or receiving active treatment or in follow-up), were prospectively enrolled between April 1- May 1, 2020. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used to measure the global perceived stress by BC patients. Data from 154 women with a diagnosis of BC were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed. Of them, 57 patients underwent neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy (Group A), 26 patients awaiting surgery or to start chemo/radiation therapy (Group B), whereas 71 were in follow–up (Group C). Overall, the mean PSS’ score was 19 ± 7.4 (range 3 to 35). This showed a high level of perceived stress among the entire population. In particular, a higher score was registered for patients of group A, with a PSS score of 19.5 ± 7.3. The health restriction secondary to the COVID-19 outbreak leads to an increase in distress in BC patients, as confirmed also by the level of PSS score.