RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Cancer of Unknown Primary During Pregnancy: An Exceptionally Rare Coexistence
JF Anticancer Research
JO Anticancer Res
FD International Institute of Anticancer Research
SP 575
OP 579
VO 35
IS 1
A1 NICHOLAS PAVLIDIS
A1 FEDRO PECCATORI
A1 FIONA LOFTS
A1 ANTHONY F. GRECO
YR 2015
UL http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/35/1/575.abstract
AB Background: Cancer in pregnancy is a rare disease with breast cancer, cervical cancer, melanoma and Hodgkin's disease to be the most commonly diagnosed malignancies during gestation. Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a well-recognized clinical disorder where the primary site can not be identified after a standard diagnostic approach. CUP in pregnancy has rarely been described. Materials and Methods: We searched MEDLINE and contacted cancer Centers in Europe, United States and Australia where patients with CUP or pregnant patients with cancer were diagnosed and treated. Results: Since 1976 we identified 18 pregnant women with CUP in a median gestational age of 34 weeks. Most of these patients were diagnosed with poorly-differentiated histology, had poor response to systemic treatment and a median maternal survival of 8 months. Seventy-two percent of mothers have died, while 80% of the newborns were alive and healthy. Almost one fourth of placentas examined showed metastatic disease. Conclusion: CUP during pregnancy is a very rare coexistence, usually has an aggressive disease with poor response to chemotherapy and a dismal prognosis. Both obstetricians and oncologists should be aware of this rare condition.