[Breast cancer and pregnancy. Apropos of 96 cases followed for 3 and 1/2 years at the Centre Léon Bérard, Lyons]

Abstract

96 cases where cancer of the breast and pregnancy were associated have been studied at the Léon Bérard Centre of Lyon with a follow-up of at least 3 years. Those patients who had a malignant tumour of the breast, which was treated, and then became pregnant (19 cases) were not made any worse (79 per cent survival in 5 years). This was quite independent of the outcome of the pregnancy. On the other hand, those women (54 cases) in which the cancer was discovered and treated during pregnancy had a far worse prognosis (20 per cent survival in 5 years). This prognosis was made worse by the discovery of the cancer in the third trimester of the pregnancy, and by the presence of lymph node involvement, by termination of pregnancy and by weaning. When malignant tumours were discovered during breast-feeding or weaning (23 cases) the prognosis was equally bad (23 per cent survival in 3 years). The authors discuss the frequency of the association of cancer of the breast and pregnancy, as well as the different factors in the prognosis. They attempt to outline the management that should be carried out in the light of recent publications on this subject.