Pregnancy and Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers seen in expectant mothers during pregnancy. During pregnancy, the breasts mature and grow to produce milk. This makes it difficult to detect a lump in the breast, and therefore, the diagnosis of potentially malignant lumps may be delayed. It is recommended that women planning a pregnancy undergo breast examinations before pregnancy, consult a breast cancer specialist if a lump is palpable during pregnancy, and be particularly vigilant if they have a family history of breast cancer.

Due to the physical changes experienced during pregnancy, identifying and treating breast conditions can be challenging. Although breast cancer is very rare during pregnancy, delaying diagnosis complicates the recovery process. In recent years, as pregnancy ages have increased beyond the 30s and 40s, the risk of developing breast cancer during pregnancy also increases.

Studies have shown that terminating a pregnancy does not provide additional benefit in cancer treatment if breast cancer is diagnosed. However, for metastatic breast cancer that has spread to other organs during pregnancy, a pregnancy termination can be considered in the first trimester to initiate chemotherapy. If breast cancer is diagnosed in the second or third trimester of pregnancy, treatment can be administered with chemotherapy drugs appropriate for the patient's condition. For expectant mothers who cannot undergo radiation therapy, treatment begins with chemotherapy and continues with radiation therapy after birth.

Breast cancer surgery can be safely performed during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

Mothers with breast cancer can breastfeed their children after treatment is completed.

Mothers who have survived breast cancer are allowed to become pregnant 2-3 years after treatment.

Women who plan to have children after breast cancer treatment may lose their fertility during the treatment period. Therefore, egg or embryo storage may be an option before treatment. After cancer treatment, expectant mothers can also have children through in vitro fertilization.