title: Multiple Myeloma in Pregnancy--A Review of the Literature and a Case Series.
abstract: Multiple myeloma (MM) typically affects older patients with a median age at diagnosis of 67 to 70 years and only 3% of cases are diagnosed before the age of 40. Moreover, MM is more common in men. Therefore, pregnancy rarely occurs in patients with MM and only 37 cases of MM in pregnancy have been reported in the literature. Herein we report an additional 5 cases. The diagnosis of MM might be problematic in this context because some of the symptoms and signs, such as back pain and anemia, can be attributed to pregnancy. Furthermore, if the patient wishes to continue her pregnancy, therapeutic options are currently limited. The list of agents that can be safely administered in pregnant women includes glucocorticoids. Moreover, any continuation of pregnancy has obvious long-term psychosocial repercussions for the patient and her family because of the currently incurable nature of MM. The reported cases of MM in pregnancy represent a spectrum of clinical manifestations. The selection of efficacious and safe treatments is challenging, especially if continuation of pregnancy is desired. Although some authors postulate that pregnancy might lead to progression of MM, data are limited and no consensus on this point has been reached.
authors: Department and Clinic of Haematology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: mmjurczy@cyf-kr.edu.pl.
authors: Artur
authors: A
authors: Jurczyszyn
authors: Department of Haematology, Blood Neoplasms and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors: Magdalena
authors: M
authors: Olszewska-Szopa
authors: John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack UMC, Hackensack, NJ.
authors: Adam S
authors: AS
authors: Vesole
authors: John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack UMC, Hackensack, NJ and Georgetown University, Department of Medicine, Washington, DC.
authors: David H
authors: DH
authors: Vesole
authors: John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack UMC, Hackensack, NJ.
authors: David S
authors: DS
authors: Siegel
authors: Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, Boston, MA.
authors: Paul G
authors: PG
authors: Richardson
authors: Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, Boston, MA.
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Paba-Prada
authors: Carbone Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
authors: Natalie S
authors: NS
authors: Callander
authors: Department and Clinic of Obstetrics and Perinatology, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
authors: Hubert
authors: H
authors: Huras
authors: Department and Clinic of Haematology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
authors: Aleksander B
authors: AB
authors: Skotnicki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Diagnosis; Management; Multiple myeloma; Pregnancy; Therapy