Mental Health and Quality of Life of Breast Cancer Patients During the COVID19 Pandemic

COVID19 first broke out on December 17, 2019, in Wuhan, China, and was declared a worldwide pandemic on March 11, 2020, according to the World Health Organization. Studies have shown that the incidence and mortality rate of COVID19 is affected by age and specific diseases. Breast cancer patients may be more vulnerable to COVID19 because of having a weakened immune system. In addition, COVID19 has led to delays in the early diagnosis and chemotherapy of cancer patients. These interruptions would affect the outcome of treatment and also cause psychological problems. In general, cancer patients are at higher risk for psychological problems than the healthy population. The diagnosis and treatment of cancer can reduce the mental health of patients and their symptoms of depression and anxiety. The COVID19 pandemic has also led to the closure of many medical and psychological centers and their online operations. This puts a lot of stress on cancer patients, especially women with breast cancer. Receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer, the most common cancer in women, is very painful and difficult and has longterm effects on the mental health and quality of life of these patients.In Iran, many women with breast cancer experienced many problems during the COVID19 pandemic.