Breast cancer and pregnancy

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Breast cancer is the malign neoplasm with the larger prevalence during pregnancy. It is defined as that diagnosed during or in the period of 1 year after pregnancy. The histologic characteristic is similar in pregnant and non pregnant women. The own physiologic alterations of the pregnancy-puerperium cycle are responsible for the later diagnosis and, therefore, the pregnant woman comes in more advanced stage. The surgery is usually the first considered treatment. The radiotherapy is not suitable and the chemotherapy can be used in the second and third trimester, once the organogenesis is completed. Most of the studies suggest little difference in the survival of pregnant and non pregnant women with breast cancer suggesting that with modern therapy and multidisciplinary help the prognostic is not as bad as it was believed.