The association of pregnancy and breast cancer.

Breast cancer in conjunction with pregnancy is rare; however when detected treatment should begin immediately because the disease advances rapidly due to altered physiology. There is an estimated 2-month delay in diagnosing breast cancer in pregnant women as opposed to non-pregnant women which may account for the advanced state of the disease at the time of diagnosis. Early treatment is essential; however due to the uncertainty of the benefit/risk ratio chemotherapy should probably be avoided during pregnancy for early breast cancer. Survival data continues to improve especially for early disease. Subsequent pregnancy and breast cancer is still contraversial although most physicians recommend that a breast cancer patient should not become pregnant for at least several years after treatment. Stage for stage the overall survival rates for pregnant and non-pregnant women is probably similar and treatment should be based on the stage of the disease and is unchanged by a pregnancy.