Cancer During Pregnancy

Most women don't need to be concerned about contracting cancer during pregnancy; it is rare. However, because many women today wait until they are older to have babies, and cancer strikes more older women, it's good to have this information available so you can discuss the situation with your doctor if you are concerned about it.

Cancer at any time is stressful; during pregnancy, it can be devastating. You and your doctor must consider many issues before deciding on a course of treatment.

•    Must the pregnancy be terminated?
•    Can the malignancy affect the developing baby?
•    Can therapy be delayed until after the baby is developed or delivered?
•    How do medications, chemotherapy or radiation used to treat the cancer affect the fetus?


The most common cancer discovered during pregnancy is breast cancer. Gynecologic cancers, leukemia, lymphoma, melanoma and bone tumors have also been found.
Cancers may appear during pregnancy for a couple of reasons.
Some cancers arise from tissues or organs that are influenced by the increase in hormone levels caused by the pregnancy. In others, increased blood flow and changes in the lymphatic system in pregnancy are believed to contribute to the transfer of cancer to other parts of the body.

Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the type of cancer discovered most often during pregnancy. Unfortunately, it is harder to find breast cancer at this time because of changes in the breasts, including tenderness, increased size and even lumpiness. About 2% of all women who have breast cancer are pregnant when it is diagnosed.

Breast cancer can be treated during pregnancy. Treatment varies, depending on the woman; surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or all three may be required. A physician will determine a course of treatment based on a woman's particular needs.

Gynecologic Cancers
Various cancers of the female organs, including the cervix, the uterus, the vagina, the ovaries, the bladder and the fallopian tubes, have been reported during pregnancy. Let us reassure you-these cancers are very rare during pregnancy, no matter what your age.

Cervical cancer occurs only once in about 10,000 pregnancies.
However, about 1 % of the women who have cancer of the cervix are pregnant when the cancer is diagnosed. Cancer of the cervix is extremely curable, especially when discovered early. That's one reason your Pap smear is important before and during pregnancy.

Cancer Treatments
Treating cancer during pregnancy can be difficult because of the effects various substances and procedures have on mother and fetus. Treatment can cause a variety of problems; a pregnant woman may also experience side effects.

Discuss any questions about cancer treatment during pregnancy with your doctor. He or she can give you the best answers and help reassure you.

Other Cancers in Pregnancy
Other types of cancer, such as Hodgkin's disease, leukemia or melanoma, mayor may not complicate a pregnancy. If you are diagnosed with any form of cancer, you and your doctor will discuss ways to treat it.