The Pregnant Breast Cancer Patient: Are We Failing Our Most Vulnerable Population?

Excerpt

Breast cancer in the premenopausal population is uncommon, and breast cancer diagnosed in pregnancy is a frankly rare event, occurring in approximately 1/3,000 breast cancer cases annually. Considering the recent national and international trend of deferred childbearing, the incidence of breast cancer in pregnancy is likely to remain the same or increase in the coming years. Happily, breast cancer patients have been the beneficiaries of cutting edge cancer therapy in all modalities. These advances have not only significantly improved quality of life, they have also had a marked effect on the longevity of women diagnosed with breast cancer, even those presenting with late-stage disease. Thus, it is our responsibility as surgeons and oncologists to offer this special population the best that modern medicine has on hand. However, we frequently fall short of this goal when treating the pregnant breast cancer patient due to a lack of knowledge, the paucity of data, as well as fear for the potential current and future effects of therapy on the fetus. …