The treatment choices for breast cancer when pregnant are more challenging since you want to obtain the best therapy for your illness while also safeguarding your unborn child. Your cancer care team and obstetrician will need to work together to determine the best course of therapy for you.
There are no special considerations when it comes to treating a pregnant woman with breast cancer. The aim is the same as when treating a non-pregnant woman. However, the additional issue of preserving a developing baby might complicate therapy.
Does breast cancer therapy while pregnant pose a risk?
Make sure you have all of your alternatives in front of you if you are pregnant and have breast cancer so that you can make an informed decision. Breast cancer therapy is safe for pregnant women, although the sort of treatment used and the timing of treatment may be changed by the pregnancy, depending on the malignancy. Whether or not you should get treatment if you have been diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant depends on
- The size of the tumor
- Where the tumor is located
- If the cancer has spread and if so, how far
- How far along you are in the pregnancy
- Your overall health
- Your personal preferences
Breast cancer surgery while pregnant is typically safe. Second and third trimester chemotherapy seems to be safe for the foetus, while the first trimester is not. Radiation therapy and hormone therapy are more dangerous to the foetus than other forms of breast cancer treatment, which is why they aren’t frequently used during pregnancy.
When the best therapy for the mother’s health and the best treatment for the baby’s health are at odds, treatment decisions might become more difficult. If a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer early in her pregnancy and must undergo immediate chemotherapy, she may be encouraged to consider an abortion. Your health care team should also include a counsellor or psychologist who can provide you with the emotional assistance you may require.
Early research indicated that terminating a pregnancy for cancer therapy did not enhance the prognosis of women (outlook). Even though these studies had problems, it is no longer suggested to terminate a pregnancy if breast cancer is diagnosed. When considering all of the therapy options available, particularly for aggressive malignancies like inflammatory breast cancer, this approach may be considered.
