Being Pregnant and Diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer during pregnancy (BCP) is an important subgroup within the young and very young breast cancer patients. It accounts for about 1% of all breast cancers. Due to an increased awareness, the attitude towards breast cancer during pregnancy has changed and, today, women with BCP are more likely to receive standard chemotherapy and have a term delivery instead of being advised to interrupt the pregnancy or undergo an early preterm delivery. This increased knowledge is based on small cohort studies and international collaborations such as the registry by the German Breast Group for BCP and the initiative of the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO). Guidelines and recommendations such as the German guidelines by the AGO (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynäkologische Onkologie, www.ago-online.org) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines include recommendations for BCP. In general, surgery and chemotherapy (beyond the 13th week of gestation) can be safely performed during pregnancy. Chemotherapy should follow the treatment recommendations for breast cancer in young women. Trastuzumab, endocrine treatment, and radiotherapy are not indicated during pregnancy. Preterm delivery should be avoided as far as possible because it bears a higher risk of infant morbidity and mortality. The treatment of BCP should be planned within a multidisciplinary team including perinatologists, obstetricians and neonatologists.

Figures

Fig. 1

Treatment modalities in relation to gestational age weeks 2–10: implantation (0–2 weeks), organogenesis (2–10 weeks), foetal phase (> 10 weeks). Chemotherapy starting from 13–14 weeks allows for a ‘safety period’.