Andrea Milbourne, MD

Approximately 1 in 1,000 pregnancies are complicated by a cancer diagnosis, and there is speculation that the incidence of cancer during pregnancy will increase as more women delay childbearing. The cancers that most commonly afflict pregnant women include breast and cervical cancer, as well as melanoma, lymphoma, and acute leukemia.

A diagnosis of cancer and its subsequent treatment can be a very frightening and confusing experience for the pregnant patient, and are challenging for the physician and nurse. As women delay childbirth until later in life, the incidence of pregnancy associated with cancer is expected to increase. Currently, approximately 1 in 1,000 pregnancies is complicated by cancer.[1–5]