Cancer in pregnancy. Part I: Basic diagnostic and therapeutic principles and treatment of gynecological malignancies

Abstract

Purpose Cancer in pregnancy is a rare circumstance. However, the coincidence of pregnancy and malignancy is supposed to increase due to a general tendency of postponing childbearing to older age. To date, clinical guidelines are scarce and experience regarding therapeutic management is limited to case reports. Methods This review focuses on general diagnostic and therapeutic principles including systemic therapy for malignancies in pregnancy. Results In part I, we report on diagnosis and therapy of gynecological tumors. Conclusion The diagnosis of gestational cancer faces both oncologist and obstetrician to the dilemma of applying appropriate diagnostic techniques and adequate local and systemic therapy to an expectant mother without harming the fetus. © Springer-Verlag 2011.