title: Malignancies associated with pregnancy: an analysis of 21 clinical cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed at investigating the clinical characteristics of malignancies associated with pregnancy and to provide information for the development of suitable strategies of treating maternal malignancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective analysis of 21 pregnant women with cancer who were admitted to our hospital between 2006 and 2012. The patients' clinical characteristics, treatment during pregnancy and postpartum, and pregnancy outcome were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 21 cases of malignancies associated with pregnancy, including 6 cases of cervical cancer, 6 cases of breast cancer, 3 cases of liver cancer, 2 cases of ovarian cancer, 2 cases of thyroid cancer, 1 case of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and 1 case of malignant brain tumor. Of the 21 patients, 15 patients continued their pregnancies (9 of these patients received cancer treatment), whereas the other 6 terminated pregnancy. The modes of delivery included cesarean section (12 cases) and vaginal delivery (3 cases), which resulted in 17 newborns, 12 of them with preterm birth (12/17, 70.6 %). The gestational age was from 30 weeks + 5 days to 39 weeks. No neonatal malformations were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The management of malignancies associated with pregnancy is a challenge for doctors and patients. It should be based on histological subtype, disease stage, gestational age, obstetrics complications, and patient's preference regarding continuing the pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult