The Risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis and Optimal Timing of Breast Cancer Surgery After COVID-19 Infection

The aim of this study was to assess the risk of postoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in breast cancer patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to determine the optimal timing for surgery in the era of "post COVID-19 pandemic."

This prospective study included breast cancer patients who contracted COVID-19 and underwent surgery from December 20th, 2022, to March 20th, 2023 (n = 577). A control group comprised patients who underwent surgery from May 1st, 2019, to October 1st, 2019 (n = 327) and had not contracted COVID-19 prior to surgery. Patients were categorized based on the timing of their surgery relative to their COVID-19 infection. Data were analyzed using logistic regression.

Patients with COVID-19 had a higher incidence of postoperative DVT compared to those without COVID-19 (3.64% vs. 1.21%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that the timing of surgery was significantly associated with the risk of DVT (odds ratio [OR], 2.795; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.692-11.278; p = 0.024). Patients who underwent surgery within two weeks of COVID-19 infection experienced the highest DVT rates (OR, 10.556; 95% CI, 1.095-303.313; p = 0.003). However, the incidence decreased to 2.85% when surgery was delayed until two weeks or more after infection. The median follow-up period was 10 months, all patients with DVT after surgery were recovered without serious complications or death. There were no adverse effects on subsequent anti-tumor therapy.

Caution is advised when performing breast cancer surgery within two weeks after a COVID-19 infection. Although the risk of DVT remains somewhat elevated even after two weeks, surgery can be considered safe given the urgency of treatment, favorable complication outcomes, and lack of impact on subsequent adjuvant therapy.