subject: Breast Cancer During Pregnancy [print this page] Breast cancer is the most common in pregnant women and tends to affect women in their mid-30s. About one in every 1,000 pregnant women get this, the disease can be devastating to both the mother and her child -- so it is essential that pregnant women and their doctors continue to do routine breast exams and thoroughly investigate any suspicious lumps and symptoms. When a pregnant woman develops this disease, it is often diagnosed at a later stage than it is in women who are not pregnant. This is because during pregnancy, hormone changes cause a woman's breasts to get larger, tender, and lumpy. This can make it harder for you or your doctor to find a lump in your breasts. Mammograms are also harder for doctors to read during pregnancy because the breast tissue becomes denser. The early changes caused by cancer could be mistaken for or hidden by the normal changes that happen with pregnancy.
It is fairly safe to have a mammogram during pregnancy. The amount of radiation needed for a mammogram is small. And the radiation is focused on the breast. For extra protection, a lead shield is placed over the lower part of the belly to stop radiation from reaching the womb. Still, scientists can't be certain about the effects of even a small dose of radiation on an unborn baby. If your doctor does not believe you need to have your mammogram right away, it may be best to wait. Other imaging tests that do not use radiation, such as breast ultrasound, may be used instead. These are thought to be safe alternatives to mammograms during pregnancy.
Even during pregnancy, early detection is an important part of breast health. Talk to your doctor or nurse about breast exams and the best time for your next mammogram -- especially if you are age 40 or older, or if you or your doctor notices a change in how your breasts look or feel. As always, if you find any lump or change in your breasts, tell your doctor or nurse right away. When this is found during pregnancy, the type and timing of treatment depends on many things, such as:
1)the size of the tumor
2)where the tumor is
3)how far along the pregnancy is
4)what the woman prefers
Treating a pregnant woman with breast cancer has the same goals as treating a non-pregnant woman: control the cancer in the place where it started, and keep it from spreading. But protecting a growing embryo or fetus may make reaching these goals more complex.
If a pregnant woman needs chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or radiation therapy to treat this disease, she may be asked to think about ending the pregnancy. This is because these treatments may harm the fetus. It is easier to treat a woman who is not pregnant because there is no fear of harming the fetus. But no studies have proven that ending a pregnancy in order to have cancer treatment improves the woman's prognosis (outlook).
by: daisy wright
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