Malignancies in pregnancy

Historically, cancer in pregnancy often involved a difficult choice: whether to abort the foetus and to focus treatment on the health of the pregnant woman, or conversely to prioritise a healthy pregnancy at the cost of delaying cancer treatment to the mother. Furthermore, there is little quality research in this field to guide clinical practice.

The first Series paper highlights how cervical and ovarian cancers are the most common malignancies in pregnancy, and how tumour size/stage and nodal status are crucial in determining clinical management. Paper 2 discusses breast cancer in pregnancy, where a multidisciplinary focus and a cautious approach to radiotherapy are needed. Haematological cancers in pregnancy (paper 3), although rare, are challenging to manage, with therapy usually reserved for late stages of pregnancy.