Pregnancy related carcinoma

Breast malignant, males, children
Breast cancer
Pregnancy related carcinoma

Author: Monika Roychowdhury, M.D. (see Authors page)

Revised: 20 October 2016, last major update February 2012

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PubMed Search: Pregnancy related carcinoma

Table of Contents

Cite this page: Pregnancy related carcinoma. PathologyOutlines.com website. http://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/breastmalignantpregnancy.html. Accessed July 14th, 2017.

Clinical features

Estimated incidence of 1 case per 3,000 pregnancies
Increasing incidence due to delay of childbearing (Obstet Gynecol 2009;114:568)
Associated with higher stage and larger primary tumors than non pregnancy associated tumors (Obstet Gynecol 2008;112:71)
Similar features as breast carcinoma in other young women, and clinical course may not be as aggressive as initially reported (Cancer 2003;98:1055)
Mammogram is less sensitive during pregnancy due to increased parenchymal density; ultrasound is best technique for evaluation of breast masses during pregnancy or lactation
Diagnosis may be delayed (Cancer 2009;115:1174)
Tumors usually contain rare fetal cells (Breast Cancer Res 2008;10:R14)

Treatment

Sentinel lymph node mapping can be performed safely (Breast J 2008;14:250, Ann Surg Oncol 2007;14:218)
Wait until second trimester to use chemotherapy (Cancer 2006;106:237, Eur J Surg Oncol 2009;35:215), which should be anthracycline based
Delay until after delivery use of anti-folate (methotrexate) and anti-estrogen drugs (tamoxifen, Expert Opin Pharmacother 2009;10:2259), radiotherapy and Herceptin / trastuzumab (associated with anhydramnios, Ann Oncol 2008;19:607)

Microscopic (histologic) description