title: Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia during pregnancy: management and thoughts.
abstract: Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is the most common leukaemia in the Western world. Despite this fact, its coexistence with pregnancy is extremely rare, with few cases reported in the literature. Given the rarity of this event, it is difficult to conduct large prospective trials to evaluate diagnostic, management, and outcome aspects. The existing evidence is limited to the few published cases and scarce data from reviews on haematological malignancies and pregnancy. Here, we report a case of a 36-year-old patient who had already finished treatment for CLL and was under surveillance when she got pregnant. We describe the evolution of the pregnancy and of the disease's behaviour as well as the oncological and obstetrical management. Being an indolent disease, CLL during pregnancy can be usually followed up without treatment, but infectious and autoimmune complications might have a significant impact on the pregnancy outcome. Therefore, pregnancy must be closely monitored in specialised centres.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Oncologia Médica, Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa, Francisco Gentil, Rua Professor Lima Basto, Lisboa 1700-023, Portugal.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Winckler
authors.affiliation: Division of Haematology Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, Milan 20141, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vanazzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, DMCO San Paolo, Via di Rudinì 8, Milan 20142, Italy.
authors.forename: Maddalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bozzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Neonatology, IRCCS Fondazione Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via della Commenda 12, Milan 20122, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scarfone
authors.affiliation: Fertility & Procreation Unit, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, Milan 20141, Italy.
authors.forename: Fedro A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Peccatori
keywords: chronic lymphocytic leukaemia; management; pregnancy