Does pregnancy influence the prognosis of malignant melanoma?
The effect of pregnancy on the clinical course of malignant melanoma (MM) is unclear. Early clinical and laboratory evidence suggested a relation between hormones and MM and subsequently between pregnancy and MM. We reviewed the literature on MM and pregnancy to address three questions: What is the effect on prognosis if an MM is diagnosed during pregnancy? What is the effect of previous pregnancies on the prognosis of MM? What effect does a subsequent pregnancy have on the prognosis of MM? On the basis of a limited number of controlled studies, it does not appear that being pregnant before, after, or at the time of diagnosis of stage I MM influences the 5-year survival rate. However, caution in interpreting these data must be taken because it is possible that the duration of follow-up and size of the study populations are not sufficient to observe a true effect.
Driscoll
M S
MS
Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington 06030.
Grin-Jorgensen
C M
CM
Grant-Kels
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors