The largest single-institution study to look at pregnant breast cancer patients published a study today in Cancer (online). Researchers from MD Anderson Cancer Center reported that young women who develop breast cancer during their pregnancy, or who are diagnosed within one year of their pregnancy, have no difference in rates of local recurrence, distant metastases and overall survival compared to other young women with the disease. However, pregnancy contributed to a delay in breast cancer diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment, so it is reccomended that primary care and fertility doctors should be aggressive in the workup of breast symptoms in the pregnant population to expedite diagnosis and allow multidisciplinary treatment. The researchers estimate that approximately 10% of breast cancer patients under the age of 40 develop the disease during pregnancy. Here is a link to the abstract.Breast cancer patients and survivors (and the healthcare professionals who treat you), please tell us what you think...
This information is so timely for me. I have posted on another part of your blog, but I just had to comment again and say thank you for the vital work that you do. I have just found out I am 6 weeks pregnant with a miracle natural pregnancy following breast cancer four and a half years ago.I am trying not to feel too anxious about the possibility of recurrence and this article will be helpful to me when discussing things with my oncologist.
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