[Clinical evaluation of patients with breast cancer and pregnancy]. / Evaluación clínica de pacientes con cáncer de mama asociado con el embarazo.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the second most common malignancy diagnosed in pregnancy. Breast cancer in pregnancy represents a challenge in diagnosis as well as in treatment. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinically patients with breast cancer in pregnancy. METERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective, transversal, descriptive study was done in which we enrolled women with breast cancer and pregnancy from the outpatient clinic of medical oncology of a tertiary care center hospital. Statistical analysis: descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The variables of 15 clinical records were examined, median age 33.3 ± 5.5 years, tobacco use 3/15, oral contraceptives use 2/15, age at first birth 25.8 ± 7 years, breastfed 4/15. The initial medical evaluation was done 7.5 ± 7.7 months after the onset of symptoms, the diagnosis was made with trucut biopsy in 9/15 of patients, excisional biopsy 4/15 and fine needle aspiration biopsy 2/15. Clinical stage was IIA 3/15, IIIA 8/15, IIIB 3/15 and IV 1/15. Six patients were treated with chemotherapy during pregnancy in the second and third trimester and three with surgical treatment. There were no fetal deaths related to treatment. Response to treatment 8/15 are disease-free, 5/15 progressed to death and 2/15 had bone metastasis. CONCLUSION: Even major cancer centers have limited experience with breast cancer in pregnancy. Medical and surgical treatment should not be differed. More prospective studies are needed to assess factors related to treatment and prognosis.