Weekly Paclitaxel for Pregnancy Associated Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy associated breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed during pregnancy. When chemotherapy is indicated, although it is more common to use anthracycline-based chemotherapy as a first treatment, we suggest weekly paclitaxel as a valid alternative both in the adjuvant and neoadjuvant setting, as this allows for weekly assessment of maternal-fetal well-being and a quicker maternal and fetal bone marrow recovery in cases of unexpected preterm delivery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We present a case series of pregnant breast cancer patients treated with weekly paclitaxel between 2016 and 2022. Patient demographics and tumor characteristics, data on management, delivery, and maternal-neonatal outcomes were extrapolated from institutional electronic databases. RESULTS: Eighteen patients underwent weekly paclitaxel for breast cancer during pregnancy (PrBC); 17 were primary diagnoses and 1 was a recurrence. None of the patients had severe adverse reactions to CT. Two cases of preterm prelabour rupture of membranes were reported while in 1 case treatment was stopped due to threatened preterm birth. Two babies were born large for gestational age, 2 were small for gestational age and 2 babies were growth restricted at birth. At a mean follow up of 42.9 months, 1 patient died, 1 patient was diagnosed with disease recurrence and another patient was diagnosed with disease progression. CONCLUSION: Weekly paclitaxel can be safely administered during pregnancy and should be included in the current therapeutic options for PrBC.

Pregnancy outcome of confined placental mosaicism: meta-analysis of cohort studies.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the rate of adverse obstetrical and neonatal outcomes in pregnancies diagnosed with confined placental mosaicism relative to that of unaffected controls. DATA SOURCES: Web-based databases were searched using relevant key words, and articles published from 1980 to February 2022 were retrieved. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Observational studies in English language including ≥10 cases of singleton pregnancies with diagnosis of confined placental mosaicism were included. The diagnosis was established after detection of any chromosomal abnormality at chorionic villus sampling for any indication, followed by normal karyotype from amniotic fluid or neonatal leukocyte culture. METHODS: Two authors independently screened the references for eligibility, data extraction, and assessment of methodological quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. All available obstetrical and neonatal outcomes were recorded. Random-effect meta-analysis was performed to estimate pooled odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of available outcomes in pregnancies with and without confined placental mosaicism. Statistical heterogeneity was evaluated with I2 statistics (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews registration number: CRD42021260319). RESULTS: Of the 80 articles reviewed, 8 retrospective matched-cohort studies (708 cases of confined placental mosaicism and 11,599 unaffected controls) compared cases with and without confined placental mosaicism and were included in the meta-analysis. The risk of delivering small-for-gestational-age neonates was significantly increased in confined placental mosaicism pregnancies according to crude analysis (odds ratio, 2.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.23-4.89; I2=72%) and to sensitivity analysis of high-quality studies (odds ratio, 3.65; 95% confidence interval, 2.43-5.57; I2=0%). Similarly, confined placental mosaicism resulted in an increased risk of birthweight below the third centile (odds ratio, 5.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-24.19; I2= 83%). Subgroup analysis revealed that the risk of delivering small-for-gestational-age neonates was 3-fold higher for confined placental mosaicism excluding trisomy 16, and 11-fold higher for cases including trisomy 16 only vs unaffected controls, respectively. No difference was found in the risk of low birthweight and preterm birth (at <37 weeks' gestation). Other outcomes were insufficiently reported, therefore they were not analyzed. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women prenatally diagnosed with confined placental mosaicism have an increased risk of impaired fetal growth, suggesting the need for intensified antenatal surveillance.

Prenatal Diagnosis and Postnatal Outcomes of Left Brachiocephalic Vein Abnormalities: Systematic Review.

Abnormalities of the left brachiocephalic vein (LBCVA) are rare and poorly studied prenatally. An association with congenital heart defects (CHD), extracardiac and genetic abnormalities was described. The aim of our study was to estimate the rate and summarize the available evidence concerning prenatal diagnosis, associated anomalies, and outcomes of these anomalies. A systematic literature review was carried out selecting studies reporting on prenatal diagnosis of LBCVA, including unpublished cases from our experience. Frequencies were pooled from cohort studies to calculate prenatal incidence. Pooled proportions were obtained from all the studies including rates of associated CHD, extracardiac or genetic abnormalities and neonatal outcomes. The search resulted in the selection of 16 studies with 311 cases of LBCVA, with an incidence of 0.4% from six cohort studies. CHD occurred in 235/311 (75.6%) fetuses: 23 (7.4%) were major in cases of double, retroesophageal or subaortic course and 212 (68.2%) were minor in cases of absence (always associated with a persistent left superior vena cava) or intrathymic course. Data on other associated outcomes were scarce showing rare extracardiac anomalies (3.5%), rare genetic abnormalities (RASopathies and microdeletions associated with the retroesophageal course), and neonatal outcomes favorable in most cases, particularly in intrathymic forms.

Uterine arteriovenous malformation (UAVM) as a rare cause of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH): a literature review.

PURPOSE: Uterine arteriovenous malformations (UAVM) are rare vascular lesions characterized by an abnormal arteriovenous communication between the branches of uterine artery and the myometrial venous plexus. UAVM can be a serious cause of massive post-partum hemorrhage (PPH) leading to potentially life-threatening anemic shock. This review aims to summarize main experiences on clinical presentation and management of UAVM in the setting of unexplained PPH. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature in Scopus, PubMed and MEDLINE was conducted. A case report of a PPH UAVM-related in a patient managed at the authors' center is also provided. RESULTS: Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. The mean age of cases was 30. In 3/11 cases, previous uterine surgeries were reported and 72.7% cases gave birth by cesarean section. Nine cases had a secondary PPH (24 h up to 12 week post-partum), whereas only one case had a primary PPH. Our case report had both a primary and a secondary PPH. Reported vaginal bleedings were profuse and blood loss entity ranged from 1000 to 2000 ml. In all cases a color Doppler ultrasound was performed first to suspect UAVM and in 10/11 cases a subsequent pelvic angiography confirmed the diagnosis of UAVM as leading cause of the unexplained PPH. In 81.8% cases a conservative management by uterine artery embolization (UAE) was adopted: bilateral UAE was always successful; in 1 out of 2 cases treated by unilateral UEA, emergency total hysterectomy was performed for a sudden hemodynamic instability. CONCLUSION: Maternal mortality pregnancy-correlated is a major health concern worldwide, mostly due by PPH. UAVM should be considered in clinical practice among possible causes of unexplained PPH.