According to new research a woman who develops breast cancer during pregnancy could have long term survival issues if diagnosis and treatment is delayed.

"Pregnancy-associated breast cancer is the most frequent cancer associated with pregnancy," Dr. George H. Perkins said.  He added that not only is it low on the list of possible diagnoses that most doctors consider, but as a pregnancy can mask symptoms of breast cancer it is more difficult to catch in time.

The study was conducted by doctors at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and they examined cases of breast cancer associated with pregnancy that were treated at their center between 1973 and 2006. The researchers found that of the 652 women, 51 developed breast cancer during pregnancy while 53 occurred within a year of the pregnancy.

Out of these 51 women, 25 were given no treatment till they had delivered and the researchers said there was a trend toward worse 10 year survival rates seen in deferred treatment as compared to those who were treated while they were pregnant.

The researchers said the women with pregnancy associated breast cancer (PABC) had more advanced tumors than those seen in women who were not pregnant, indicating delayed diagnosis. However, the researchers reported that the rates of cancer recurrence, spread and survival outcomes after 10 years of both were similar. Perkins said it was probably as most women underwent a course of chemotherapy before surgery.

The study findings however contradicted previous studies which suggested that women with PABC had worse outcomes than non-pregnant breast cancer patients. The researchers noted that although pregnancy delayed the diagnosis of breast cancer, women could improve their survival chances by undergoing treatment while pregnant rather than waiting to deliver. In addition a thorough diagnostic evaluation of breast symptoms that occur during pregnancy, using ultrasound or, with proper shielding of the fetus, mammography should also be conducted.

"Primary care and reproductive physicians should be aggressive in the work-up of breast symptoms in the pregnant population to expedite diagnosis and allow multidisciplinary treatment," the authors wrote. "Balancing the health of mother and child is paramount; new evidence suggests that both can be prioritized and successful outcomes managed for both."
The report is published in the March 15 issue of Cancer. (Harkiran contributed to this report)