Pregnancy and cancer

Abstract

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in women of reproductive age, with the incidence of cancer in pregnancy ranging from 0.07 to 0.1% [1]. As cancer therapy is becoming more efficacious and women are waiting later to begin childbearing, cancer in pregnancy as well as pregnancy in cancer survivors are both increasing in prevalence. With the increasing survival of cancer patients, issues regarding the quality of life in cancer survivors are becoming progressively more important. Unfortunately, many of the successful treatment options for cancer lead to infertility. In a time of tragedy, while facing the new diagnosis of cancer, it is very difficult for patients to think about the implications of their therapies. As a healthcare provider, one must weigh a variety of considerations in such circumstances including but not limited to the clinical, biological, ethical, legal and psychosocial issues surrounding cancer and pregnancy. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.