PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACTS DURING COVID-19 QUARANTINE IN ITALIAN FEMALE CANCER PATIENTS: A MONO-INSTITUTIONAL EXPERIENCE

Purpose With COVID-19 spreading Italians had to face dramatic changes in their lives with impressive effects on their psychological wellbeing. Female cancer patients who deserve continuous psychological monitoring and specific care represent a fragile group of people in this pandemic. Aim of this study is to describe the impact of COVID-19 lockdown in a sample of female cancer patients who underwent radiotherapy from 2016 to 2020 and who were followed by a psycho-oncologist during that treatment phase. Methods In the first weeks of the Italian lockdown, a phone interview was performed on 31 follow-up radiotherapy patients for investigating issues, resources and offering psychological support. Findings The interviewed patients expressed strong worries about their future cancer care. The resources activated by patients have been discovered during psychological support and easily re-actualized during COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions Female cancer patients showed uncertainties during COVID-19 pandemic but also unexpected resources to overcome this difficult period. The presence of psychological support after radiotherapy gave a factor of protection during the COVID-19 pandemic indicating that female cancer patients require major attention to preserve their mental wellbeing.