title: Pregnancy in a Patient With a Malignant Brain Tumor Taking Temozolomide: Case Report and Review of the Literature.
abstract: Temozolomide (TMZ), an alkylating agent used in the treatment of malignant gliomas, is a pregnancy category D medication that is not advised for use in pregnant women. We report the case of a 19-year-old woman with anaplastic oligodendroglioma (high-grade glioma) who became pregnant during maintenance chemotherapy consisting of TMZ 200 mg/m(2) administered 5 days monthly. The TMZ was immediately discontinued after she developed a positive pregnancy test. She delivered a full-term healthy baby boy with no prenatal or perinatal complications. Adolescents and young adults with brain tumors are often sexually active and should receive intensive and repeated anticipatory guidance regarding contraception while receiving chemotherapy. Pediatric oncology nurses are in a unique position to provide this education for patients and ensure that young women have appropriate pregnancy testing prior to chemotherapy administration.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA aevans@chla.usc.edu.
authors.forename: Anna C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Mary Baron
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Girish
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dhall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009837:Oligodendroglioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D000077204:Temozolomide; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D003606:Dacarbazine; D000077204:Temozolomide
keywords: adolescents; brain tumor; contraception; pregnancy; temozolomide