Survival in pregnancy-associated breast cancer patients compared to non-pregnant controls.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) is a rare entity whose prognosis has previously been studied and is subject to controversy. METHODS: Survival of patients with PABC diagnosed between 2009 and 2021 with breast cancer during pregnancy or until 1 year after childbirth was compared with non-pregnant patients with breast cancer from the same period at La Paz University Hospital. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to compare disease-free (DFS) and overall (OS) survival between the groups, adjusting for grade and pathologic stage. RESULTS: Among the 89 included patients with breast cancer, 34 were diagnosed during pregnancy, and 55 were not pregnant. The pregnant patients were more likely to have grade 3 tumors (61.3% vs 37%, p = 0.023) and an advanced stage (pathologic stage III-IV: 44.1% vs 17.6%, p = 0.008). Median follow-up was 47 months for the pregnant group and 46 months for the control group. After adjustments for tumor grade and pathologic stage, OS was comparable between the groups (HR 2.03; 95% CI 0.61 to 6.79; P = 0.25). CONCLUSIONS: The outcome of women diagnosed with PABC is comparable to young non-pregnant controls. However, it should be taken into account that PABC has a more aggressive phenotype.

Spontaneous rupture of renal angiomyolipoma in pregnancy mimicking preterm labour.

Ruptured renal angiomyolipoma in pregnancy is uncommon. Pregnant women may present with nonspecific symptoms such as flank or abdominal pain, contraction pain and haematuria. A thorough assessment is needed to reach the correct diagnosis. Management varies between conservative measures, radiological intervention or surgery depending on the patient's haemodynamic status and foetal condition. We present a case of a woman in her 30s, gravida 5 para 3+1 at 28 weeks of gestation, who presented with pain. The pain worsened, and she went into hypovolaemic shock. An exploratory laparotomy and emergency caesarean section were done. Retroperitoneal haematoma was found intraoperatively, but the source of bleeding was difficult to determine. An abdominal CT angiogram subsequently revealed an ongoing bleeding from a ruptured angiomyolipoma. An emergency nephrectomy was performed, and the bleeding was secured.

Gynecological cancer during pregnancy-From a gyne-oncological perspective.

Gynecological cancer diagnosed during pregnancy requires accurate diagnosis and staging to determine optimal treatment based on gestational age. Cervical and ovarian cancers are the most common and multidisciplinary team collaboration is pivotal. Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound can be used without causing fetal harm. In cervical cancer, early-stage treatments can often be delayed until fetal lung maturation and cesarean section is recommended if disease prevails, in combination with a simple/radical hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy. Chemoradiotherapy, the recommended treatment for advanced stages, is not compatible with pregnancy preservation. Most gestational ovarian cancers are diagnosed at an early stage and consist of nonepithelial cancers or borderline tumors. Removal of the affected adnexa during pregnancy is often necessary for diagnosis, though staging can be performed after delivery. In selected cases of advanced cervical and ovarian cancers, neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be an option to allow gestational advancement but only after thorough multidisciplinary discussions and counseling.

Pregnancy-related breast cancer: 14-year experience in a tertiary institution in Hong Kong.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) is increasing. Its tumor characteristics and overall survival compared with those in nonpregnant patients remain controversial. While there have been suggestions that PABC patients have a 40 % increase in the risk of death compared to non-pregnant patients, other studies suggested similar disease outcomes. This study aims to review our local experience with PABC. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients diagnosed with PABC and twenty-eight patients diagnosed at premenopausal age randomly selected by a computer-generated system during the same period were recruited. Background characteristics, tumor features, and survival were compared. RESULTS: Among the twenty-eight pregnant patients, seventeen were diagnosed during pregnancy, and eleven were diagnosed in the postpartum period. Compared to the non-pregnant breast cancer patients, they presented with less progesterone receptor-positive tumor (35.7 % vs. 64.2 %, p = 0.03). Although there was no statistically significant difference in tumor size (p = 0.44) and nodal status (p = 0.16), the tumor tended to be larger in size (2.94 +/- 1.82 vs 2.40 +/- 1.69 cm) and with more nodal involvement (35.7 % vs 25.0 %). There was also a trend of delayed presentation to medical attention, with a mean duration of 13.1 weeks in the PABC group and 8.6 weeks in the control group. However, the overall survival did not differ (p = 0.63). CONCLUSION: PABC is increasing in incidence. They tend to have more aggressive features, but overall survival remains similar. A multidisciplinary approach is beneficial for providing the most appropriate care.

Prognostic and reproductive outcomes in women who had uterine myomas removed during cesarean section and sutured using different techniques.

BACKGROUND: In this study, the prognostic and reproductive outcomes of women who underwent excision of uterine myomas and were sutured using different techniques while undergoing a cesarean section were investigated. METHODS: A total of 299 females who underwent cesarean section between January 2015 and June 2022 due to a scarred uterus were enrolled in this study. These participants were segregated into two categories: the experimental group (comprising 155 cases) in which uterine myoma (single lesion) was excised during the cesarean procedure, and the control group (consisting of 144 cases) in which only the cesarean section was conducted. A comparison between the two groups was carried out based on the following parameters: volume of intraoperative bleeding (mL), additional measures taken for intraoperative hemostasis (n, %), percentage (%) of patients experiencing postoperative fever, duration required for the passage of gas (hours [h]), length of hospital stay (days [d]), weight of newborns (kg) and their Apgar scores, and the reproductive outcomes of the experimental group assessed two years after the surgical procedure. RESULTS: In the experimental group, the amount of bleeding during surgery, occurrence of postoperative fever among women, time taken for patients to resume passing gas, and length of hospital stay were 540.65 ± 269.12 mL, 9.03%, 15.99 ± 4.68 h, and 5.08 ± 1.18 days, respectively. In contrast, the control group had values of 409.03 ± 93.24 mL, 2.77%, 16.24 ± 4.92, and 4.47 ± 0.70 days, respectively (P < 0.05). No notable increase was observed in the need for additional intraoperative hemostasis measures, and there was no significant difference in the time it took for patients to pass gas after the surgery. All newborns had positive health status. In the experimental group, 25 patients underwent subsequent pregnancies, and 15 of them successfully reached full-term deliveries, all of which had positive outcomes. CONCLUSION: Combining myomectomy with various suture methods during cesarean delivery did not cause excessive bleeding and resulted in healthy newborns. This approach offers the advantage of avoiding additional surgeries under anesthesia and can be considered a viable option. Subsequent pregnancies after myomectomy were considered high-risk.

Pregnancy After Breast Cancer in Young BRCA Carriers: An International Hospital-Based Cohort Study.

Importance: Young women with breast cancer who have germline pathogenic variants in BRCA1 or BRCA2 face unique challenges regarding fertility. Previous studies demonstrating the feasibility and safety of pregnancy in breast cancer survivors included limited data regarding BRCA carriers. Objective: To investigate cumulative incidence of pregnancy and disease-free survival in young women who are BRCA carriers. Design, Setting, and Participants: International, multicenter, hospital-based, retrospective cohort study conducted at 78 participating centers worldwide. The study included female participants diagnosed with invasive breast cancer at age 40 years or younger between January 2000 and December 2020 carrying germline pathogenic variants in BRCA1 and/or BRCA2. Last delivery was October 7, 2022; last follow-up was February 20, 2023. Exposure: Pregnancy after breast cancer. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary end points were cumulative incidence of pregnancy after breast cancer and disease-free survival. Secondary end points were breast cancer-specific survival, overall survival, pregnancy, and fetal and obstetric outcomes. Results: Of 4732 BRCA carriers included, 659 had at least 1 pregnancy after breast cancer and 4073 did not. Median age at diagnosis in the overall cohort was 35 years (IQR, 31-38 years). Cumulative incidence of pregnancy at 10 years was 22% (95% CI, 21%-24%), with a median time from breast cancer diagnosis to conception of 3.5 years (IQR, 2.2-5.3 years). Among the 659 patients who had a pregnancy, 45 (6.9%) and 63 (9.7%) had an induced abortion or a miscarriage, respectively. Of the 517 patients (79.7%) with a completed pregnancy, 406 (91.0%) delivered at term (≥37 weeks) and 54 (10.4%) had twins. Among the 470 infants born with known information on pregnancy complications, 4 (0.9%) had documented congenital anomalies. Median follow-up was 7.8 years (IQR, 4.5-12.6 years). No significant difference in disease-free survival was observed between patients with or without a pregnancy after breast cancer (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.81-1.20). Patients who had a pregnancy had significantly better breast cancer-specific survival and overall survival. Conclusions and Relevance: In this global study, 1 in 5 young BRCA carriers conceived within 10 years after breast cancer diagnosis. Pregnancy following breast cancer in BRCA carriers was not associated with decreased disease-free survival. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03673306.

Postoperative results of myomectomy performed during caesarean section in a tertiary care center. A retrospective study.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the postoperative results of patients who underwent myomectomy during caesarean section in a tertiary center, to investigate whether cesarean myomectomy leads to increased morbidity and to contribute to the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was designed retrospectively and conducted to compare the preoperative and postoperative results of 121 patients who underwent myomectomy during cesarean and 149 patients who had only cesarean section in a tertiary center between 1.1.2020-1.1.2022. RESULTS: Although the study did not show a significant prolongation in terms of operative time, a significant relationship was found in the length of hospital stay. Hemoglobin levels after myomectomy were significantly lower than the group without myomectomy in the study. Additionally, preterm delivery rate was higher in the myomectomy group. CONCLUSION: As this study showed us a significant decrease in hemoglobin levels after cesarean and myomectomy, it is appropriate to perform this operation, when necessary, by experienced surgeons and in tertiary centers. KEY WORDS: Cesarean section, Myomectomy, Myomectomy during cesarean section.

Pregnancy-associated Breast Cancer: Why Breast Imaging During Pregnancy and Lactation Matters.

Pregnancy-associated breast cancer is characterized as breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy, within the first postpartum year, or during lactation. It usually presents as a palpable mass, although the large majority of palpable masses during pregnancy are benign. Breast cancer is the most common invasive malignancy diagnosed during pregnancy and lactation, and its incidence is increasing as more women delay childbearing. Understanding the appropriate methods for screening and diagnostic workup of breast findings in this population is imperative for radiologists to promptly diagnose pregnancy-associated breast cancer. Use of available imaging modalities should be tailored to patient-specific factors, with US typically the first-line modality due to patient age and decreased sensitivity of mammography in the setting of lactational changes. This article illustrates the spectrum of imaging appearances of pregnancy-associated breast cancer, the appropriate diagnostic imaging workup, and the unique challenges encountered in evaluation of this patient population.

Spontaneous and induced abortions in women with a diagnosis of gestational related neoplasm: a population-based linkage study in Lombardy, 2010-2020.

BACKGROUND: A diagnosis of cancer during pregnancy or within one year after the end of pregnancy is a major clinical and public health issue. The current study aimed at estimating the incidence of pregnancy-associated cancer (PAC) and assessing whether the risk of abortion is increased in women diagnosed with cancer. METHODS: This population-based cohort study used the regional healthcare utilization (HCU) databases of Lombardy, the largest region in Italy, to identify the women who delivered between 2010 and 2020. PAC were identified by oncological ICD-9-CM codes reported in the hospital discharge forms. We computed the ratio of PAC cases to the total number of pregnancies. Following a diagnosis of PAC, the prevalence ratio (PR) of abortion and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI), was estimated using a log-binomial model adjusted for maternal age. RESULTS: During the study period, 926 women who gave birth (1.29 cases per 1000 births) and 341 women who had an abortion (1.52 cases per 1000 abortions) were diagnosed with PAC. Regardless of the outcome of pregnancy, the risk of PAC increased with increasing age. The rate of PAC was initially lower among births, but it came very close to the rate of PAC among abortions in the last two calendar years. The proportion of abortions among women with PAC gradually decreased from 27.7% in 2010-2012 to 18.5% in 2019-2020 (p-value < 0.001). Overall, a diagnosis of PAC was related to an approximately 10% increased risk of abortion (PR = 1.11, 95%CI:1.01-1.22). However, no association was observed in 2019-2020 (PR = 0.87, 95%CI:0.65-1.17). Considering only diagnoses made during the first trimester of pregnancy, the risk of abortion was about 2.5 times higher (PR = 2.53, 95%CI:2.05-3.11) and the risk of induced abortion was almost 4 times higher (PR = 3.71, 95%CI:2.82-4.90). CONCLUSION: In this population the risk of abortion was about 10% higher in women with PAC than in women without PAC. However, this association tended to decrease in more recent calendar periods. This trend seemed to be influenced more by spontaneous than by induced abortions.

[Colorectal cancer in pregnancy. Case reports]. / Cáncer colorectal en el embarazo. Reportes de caso.

Colon rectal cancer (CRC) during pregnancy is a rare neoplasia, with an incidence between 0.07-0.1% in the population. For an early diagnosis, a high suspicion is necessary and with it, timely diagnostic tests are carried out. When there is no suspicion and no diagnosis is sought, the prognosis is usually poor since it is often in an advanced state. We present the cases of two pregnant women aged 27 and 31 diagnosed with moderately differentiated colorectal adenocarcinoma at 29 and 30 weeks of gestation, respectively. Due to the importance of making an opportune diagnosis to improve the survival of the patients, a search of information was carried out in the literature in relation to the diagnosis, management and prognosis of this pathology.

Oral cancer in pregnancy: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: Oral cancers in pregnancy (OCiP) are rare, however when diagnosed it complicates both the treatment of cancer and the outcome of pregnancy. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the factors impacting the foetal and maternal outcome in OCiP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic search was performed on the following electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar. Only histopathologically diagnosed cases of oral cancer in pregnant patients were included. The Joanna Briggs Institute questionnaire for case reports was used to assess the risk of bias. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the factors impacting foetal and maternal outcome. RESULTS: Out of the 40 cases reported, 28 were squamous cell carcinomas and 7 osteosarcomas. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated a non-significant association between age of patient, staging, trimester and treatment to maternal and foetal outcome. The overall recurrence, maternal death and foetal death for OCiP was 25 %, 30.77 % and 3.45 % respectively. CONCLUSION: It could be concluded with low evidence level that none of the factors explored in this SR affected the maternal and foetal outcome. A regular oral check-up, particularly the tongue of pregnant females is recommended to identify any early signs of inflammation or oral cancer and subjected to biopsy to identify malignancy or dysplasia.

Primary Cutaneous Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma-Not Otherwise Specified (pcPTCL-NOS) in Pregnancy.

A 25-year-old, 7-month pregnant woman presented with rapidly progressive multiple ulcerated nodules present for 5 months on her left thigh. The lesions began as small red-colored papules, becoming nodular within few days. Initially, she was treated with systemic antibiotics and analgesics, and later a local physician performed incision and drainage. The lesions further increased, becoming indurated and ulcerated. Two months after her delivery, the lesions had extended to the middle of the medial side of her left thigh. On admission, she had a history of fever and weight loss, but there was no trauma. She delivered a full-term healthy baby boy. Past and family history was not significant. Examination revealed 15-20 ill-defined, erythematous, immobile, and irregular nodules of varying sizes, measuring 4 × 5 cm2, and extending from the inguinal region to the middle portion on medial aspect of the left thigh (Figure 1). Some of the nodules ulcerated with yellow color discharge with crusting, attributed to secondary bacterial infection. Multiple palpable and matted inguinal lymph nodes were present in the left inguinal region.

Surgical resection of retinoblastoma-associated bladder leiomyosarcoma during pregnancy: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Management of a bladder tumor during pregnancy is an uncommon clinical situation. Leiomyosarcoma of the urinary bladder is a rare histological type of bladder tumor and a rare secondary cancer in survivors of retinoblastoma (RB). However, there has been no report of RB-associated bladder leiomyosarcoma during pregnancy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 37-year-old pregnant woman with a medical history of RB in infancy presented with gross hematuria at the 17th week of gestation. Cystoscopy revealed a 40-mm papillary tumor on the left lateral wall of the urinary bladder. At the 25th week of gestation, she underwent transurethral resection of the bladder tumor, and the pathological diagnosis was bladder leiomyosarcoma with loss of RB1 expression. At the 31st week of gestation, she gave birth by caesarean section. One month after the delivery (to allow for involution of the uterus), she underwent partial cystectomy, and the specimen contained no residual leiomyosarcoma tissue. CONCLUSIONS: We have reported a case of RB-associated bladder leiomyosarcoma that was successfully treated during and after pregnancy.