interaction(s) of breast cancer with pregnancy

Introduction

Interactions:

• normal breast engorgement & conditions such as mastitis during pregnancy can mimic as well as mask breast cancer
• pregnancy-associated cases are more advanced than non-pregnancy-associated cases at diagnosis

Management

• chemotherapy for breast cancer during pregnancy associated with low birth weight & an increase in obstetric complications (17% of treated women vs 9%) & neonatal events (31 vs 7), but complications deemed not clinically important
• breast cancer during pregnancy can be treated as in non-pregnant women without putting fetal &/or maternal outcome at substantially increased risk
• pregnancy after breast cancer should not be discouraged

More general terms

• disease interaction