Learning objectives
Review the most frequent types of cancer in the pregnancy and illustrate them with cases of our center.
Review the role of the radiologist in this scenario.
Background
[11,
8]
Cancer complicating pregnancy is a rare coexistence.
The incidence is approximately 1 in 1,000 pregnancies.
The most common cancers are those more frequently seen during the reproductive age of a woman: breast cancer,
cervical cancer,
Hodgkin’s disease,
malignant melanoma,
leukemias and trophoblastic disease.
In the future,
pregnancy-associated cancer will occur with increasing frequency because of the epidemiology of postponed motherhood,
and increasing incidence of cancer.
Knowing the incidences of the main cancers that arise during the pregnancy will help us to diagnose them...
Findings and procedure details
SAFETY OF DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES [12,
9]
Epidemiological studies have established the potential of ionizing radiation to induce leukemia and solid tumours.
The radiation effect on fetal life seems to be dose dependent Table 1.
In addition,
the adverse effects of radiation are directly related to the stage of gestation: the earlier the stage,
the more detrimental the expected effects Table 2.
In pregnant women with cancer,
staging imaging techniques should be limited to those associated with the lowest exposure to ionizing radiation.
Abdominal plain films,...
Conclusion
The radiologist is responsible for the evaluation of the correct indication of the radiological procedure,
and also to define those alternatives that imply less radiological risk for the fetus.
In a pregnant woman the imaging study should start with imaging techniques that do not use ionizing radiation,
as ultrasound or MRI.
The multidisciplinary discussion should consider a diagnostic strategy aiming to reduce the burden of fetal radiation exposure.
Only staging examinations that are likely change the treatment of cancer should be made during pregnancy.
Personal information
Contact details:
Loreto de Llano Ibisate (
[email protected]).
Radiology department,
Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra.
Calle Irunlarrea 3,
31008,
Pamplona,
Spain.