Breast cancer among pregnant women on rise
December 13th, 2010 - 4:25 pm ICT by IANSLondon, Dec 13 (IANS) Breast cancer rates among pregnant women are on the rise, warns an expert. The diagnosis of the disease in expectant mothers leads to a terrible dilemma as the treatment can be devastating for the unborn child.
The chances of birth defects in children were higher amongst breast cancer patients regardless of what treatment they received, a team led by Sibylle Loibl of the German Breast Group found, reports the Telegraph.
The study looked at 313 pregnant women with breast cancer to see how their treatment affected the child, according to a statement of the German Breast Group.
Loibl said: “At the time we started the study in 2003, there was hardly any information on breast cancer therapy during pregnancy, but we felt there was a medical need for it.”
The seven year study looked at women aged between 23 and 47, with various types of cancer in different stages.
Of the women, 23 percent were in their first trimester, 42 percent in the second and 36 percent in the third. Various treatments including chemotherapy were used to treat them.
Two of the infants died shortly after birth, and 29 of the women did not continue the pregnancy. Premature babies were found to be more common among those who did not receive chemotherapy.
The children were found to be at higher risk of congenital problems than the usual population.
These findings were presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, in the US.
- Treatment of pregnant breast cancer patients shouldn't be delayed - Dec 13, 2010
- Women treated for breast cancer while pregnant have improved survival - Sep 30, 2010
- Study: Smoking during pregnancy may cause heart problems in babies - Mar 08, 2011
- Passive smoking ups risk of still births by 23 percent - Mar 10, 2011
- Smoking during pregnancy may cause heart defects in infants - Mar 01, 2011
- Women born to older mothers may develop breast cancer - Feb 07, 2012
- No Birth Defects Seen in Pregnant Malaria Drug Recipients - Feb 23, 2011
- Flu shots ensure birth of healthy babies - Feb 22, 2012
- Fasting during pregnancy may harm your unborn baby - Aug 12, 2010
- Study: No birth defect risk seen with pregnancy malaria drug - Feb 23, 2011
- Use of certain antiviral drugs during pregnancy not linked to birth defects - Aug 25, 2010
- Smoking early in pregnancy linked to risk of heart defects in infants - Mar 01, 2011
- Gene test may bring safe chemotherapy - Mar 23, 2012
- Stressful pregnancy could harm child - Aug 01, 2012
- Pregnancy-related cancers up by 70 percent - Sep 11, 2012
Tags: antonio breast cancer symposium, birth defects, breast cancer, breast cancer patients, breast cancer rates, breast cancer symposium, breast cancer therapy, chemotherapy, congenital problems, different stages, dilemma, first trimester, medical need, pregnant women, premature babies, san antonio breast, san antonio breast cancer, san antonio breast cancer symposium, types of cancer, unborn child