Pregnancy-Associated Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
Pregnancy-Associated
Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
The second most typical malignancy that affects pregnancy is breast cancer. Breast cancer discovered during pregnancy or the first postpartum year is referred to as pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC). Your treatment options may be more difficult if you are diagnosed with breast cancer while expecting a child since you will want to seek the finest care possible for your illness while also safeguarding the unborn child. Your cancer care team and your obstetrician will have to meticulously prepare and coordinate the type and timing of therapy.
The goal of treating a pregnant
woman with breast cancer is the same as treating a non-pregnant woman: to cure
the cancer whenever possible, or, if that is not possible, to control it and
prevent it from spreading. However, the added concern of safeguarding a
developing foetus may make treatment more challenging.
Few studies address the optimal
management and therapy options for PABC because it is a very uncommon event
complicated by many characteristics. Together, let's investigate the therapies.
Can A
Woman Get Breast Cancer During Pregnancy?
Although it is uncommon because
the breast cancer is unrelated to the pregnancy, it is possible to receive a
breast cancer diagnosis while you are pregnant. Because they are worried about
the well-being of their unborn child, women who receive a breast cancer
diagnosis while pregnant are under a great deal of added stress. Despite the
fact that the situation might be traumatising and incredibly challenging, there
is still hope for both mother and child because of the many therapy choices
available.
If you have been given a
diagnosis of cancer and are pregnant, it never hurts to confirm that your
oncology team and the members of your obstetric care team are in regular touch with
one another. Your medical team will carefully develop a treatment plan to
manage breast cancer while protecting your unborn child.
How Is It
Diagnosed?
Visiting your doctor frequently
is the finest thing you can do while pregnant. Prenatal (or "before
birth") checkups are what these appointments are known as, and they're
essential for maintaining the greatest possible health for both you and your
unborn child. You might get breast exams to look for changes during some of
these visits.
Although mammography is
generally considered safe during pregnancy, because of the increased density of
the breasts, it might not be as beneficial. A three-dimensional mammography may
be preferable.
Your physician should do a
biopsy if a suspicious lump is discovered. They will use a needle or a small
cut to retrieve a small sample of the questionable tissue. To screen for any
cancer cells, the sample tissue is examined under a microscope and using other
techniques. Additionally, your doctor might do an ultrasound on you to
determine the severity of any disease and to direct the biopsy.
Breast
Cancer Treatment During Pregnancy?
Get professional advice and make
sure you are aware of all your options if you are pregnant and have breast
cancer because you may have to make difficult decisions. Although the timing
and type of treatment may be impacted by pregnancy, pregnant women can safely
receive treatment for breast cancer. Your recommended course of treatment if
you have breast cancer and are pregnant depends on:
●
The tumour's
dimensions
●
The place where the
tumour is
●
How far has the
cancer spread
●
How far along in
your pregnancy you are
●
Your general
well-being
●
What you prefer
Surgery for breast cancer while
you are pregnant is generally safe. If administered during the second or third
trimester of pregnancy, chemotherapy appears to be safe for the unborn child,
but not during the first. Other breast cancer therapies like radiation therapy,
targeted therapy, and hormone therapy are less common during pregnancy because
they pose a greater risk to the developing foetus.
The best-known course of
treatment for the mother may conflict with the baby's health, complicating
treatment decisions. For instance, a woman might be counselled to consider
terminating the pregnancy if she is diagnosed with breast cancer early in her
pregnancy and requires immediate chemotherapy. Your healthcare team should also
include a counsellor or psychologist to help provide you with any necessary
emotional support.
As previously noted, the size,
spot, and span of your pregnancy will all affect your treatment approach.
Surgery is typically the initial step in treating early-stage breast cancer in
women who are not pregnant. Your medical team will likely proceed with a
lumpectomy or mastectomy and potentially some lymph nodes from beneath your arm
because surgery can be safely done during pregnancy with little harm to your
unborn child.
Depending on the type of cancer
you have and the stage of your pregnancy, chemotherapy
may be an option for treatment. Chemotherapy can be administered during
certain windows of time during pregnancy without endangering the unborn child.
Radiation cannot
harm an unborn kid, thus if it is advised, it is always administered after the
baby is born.
It is unclear exactly how hormone therapy affects unborn
children. Because of this, hormone therapy will probably only be given after
the baby is born if it is prescribed.
Can A
Mother Breastfeed During Breast Cancer?
No proof stopping your breast
milk production would help your cancer. When you have this disease, it's
frequently good to breastfeed, but check with your doctor or a lactation
consultant to determine what's best for you and your baby. It is probably best
to stop breastfeeding if you are receiving chemotherapy as numerous potent
chemotherapy medications can reach the infant through your milk.
Survival
Rates For Breast Cancer?
It may be more difficult to
detect, identify, and treat breast cancer while pregnant. According to the
majority of research, breast cancer patients who are pregnant or not and are
diagnosed at the same stage often have similar outcomes.
For some women with advanced
breast cancer, some doctors may advise terminating the pregnancy because they
think it might delay the progression of the disease. Research in this field is
challenging because there aren't any high-quality, unbiased studies. Pregnancy
termination simplifies therapy, but there is now no proof that it enhances a
woman's overall survival or cancer prognosis.
Studies have not demonstrated
that treatment delays—which may be necessary during pregnancy—had an impact on
the course of breast cancer. However, research on this subject as well has
proven to be challenging. Furthermore, there is no evidence that breast cancer
can harm an unborn child. If you are battling this malignancy visit us
at RRMCHand get your treatment started.
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