Pregnancy-associated cancers: a population-based study

Introduction: Pregnancy-associated cancers are malignant neoplasms (MNs) diagnosed during pregnancy or within 12 months after delivery. The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of pregnancy-associated cancers at the population level.Materials and methods: The population database was created from databases of two regional systems: the automated system Pregnancy Monitoring Program and the ONCOR system.Results: Overall, 357 female patients with pregnancy-associated cancers were identified. The incidence rate was 1.659 per 1,000 pregnancies. The most common MN localizations were cervix, breast, thyroid, and ovary. Most female patients were between 45 and 49 years of age. Stage IV breast cancer was identified in a large proportion of women undergoing delivery. Conversely, cervical and ovarian cancers were commonly diagnosed at early stages. The 1-year survival rate of patients with pregnancy-associated cancers was higher than in the entire cancer population.Conclusions: Pregnancy-associated cancers are still a complex and poorly understood issue that requires additional studies, disease-specific monitoring and treatment protocols.