title: A mini review on pregnant mothers with cancer: A paradoxical coexistence.
abstract: The diagnosis of cancer during pregnancy at least in the Western world is a rare phenomenon, but this might be raised into the future due to late pregnancies in the modern societies. The coexistence of pregnancy and cancer implicates numerous medical, ethical, psychological and sometimes religious issues between the mother, the family and the treating physician. Breast, cervical cancer, melanoma and lymphoma are the most common malignancies diagnosed during pregnancy. Diagnostic or therapeutic irradiation requires careful application, whereas systemic chemotherapy is not allowed during the first trimester of pregnancy due to lethal or teratogenic effects as well as to congenital malformations. In some gestational cancers, tumor cells can invade the placenta or the fetus.
authors.affiliation: REA Maternity Hospital, A. Sygrou Avenue, 383, P. Faliro, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mitrou
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Ioannina University Hospital, 45110 Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zarkavelis
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Ioannina University Hospital, 45110 Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fotopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Ioannina University Hospital, 45110 Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Petrakis
authors.affiliation: REA Maternity Hospital, A. Sygrou Avenue, 383, P. Faliro, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pavlidis
keywords: Cancer; Diagnosis; Pregnancy; Staging; Treatment