[Breast cancer and pregnancy]

Abstract

As maternal age at the time of pregnancy continues to increase and the incidence of breast cancer is raising, the incidence of pregnancy associated with breast cancer can be expected to increase. A review of the literature was performed to help identify optimal treatment strategies.

Methods: a search of electronic databases between 1967 and the present identifies studies reporting breast cancer associated with pregnancy. There is a paucity of prospective studies regarding diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer during pregnancy. Women diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy have similar disease characteristics to age-matched controls. Current evidence suggests that diagnosis may be carried out with limitations regarding staging. Surgical treatment may be performed as for the non-pregnant women. Radiotherapy and endocrine or antibody treatment should be postponed until after delivery. Chemotherapy is allowed after the first trimester. Breast cancer in pregnancy is an uncommon phenomenon but one which poses dilemmas for patients and their physicians. A multidisciplinary approach is recommended for optimal clinical decision making. But physicians should be aggressive in the workup of breast symptoms in the pregnant population to expedite diagnosis.