Pregnancy and aggressive or malignant primary bone tumors

Abstract

The authors performed a retrospective study of 33 patients to assess the effect of pregnancy on the behavior of primary bone malignancies, and to develop a strategy for pregnant women with such malignancies focusing on decisions concerning the fetus. This study indicates that pregnancy has no effect on the clinical behavior of bone sarcomas, and, therefore, there is no reason to perform an abortion because of their simultaneous occurrence. However, optimal treatment of the tumor may cause irreparable harm to the fetus. Three main medical factors need to be considered when the future of the fetus is being decided: (1) the trimester at the time of diagnosis; (2) the anatomic site of the tumor, and (3) the type and grade of the tumor, as it relates to the expected treatment of the tumor. Copyright © 1984 American Cancer Society