Cancer in Pregnancy: Bone Malignancies in Pregnancy

Introduction
Primary malignant bone cancer is rarely associated with pregnancy¹. The available information regarding its evaluation and management is very limited. A delay in diagnosis due to pregnancy has been suggested¹.

Diagnosis
Although magnetic resonance imaging is the diagnostic method of choice² and can be repeated many times in pregnancy ³, ultrasound, biopsy to stage the tumor, and clinical examination remain equally safe and important in arriving at the diagnosis. Independence of bone tumors from hormonal regulation was shown.⁴ The association of bone neoplasm with pregnancy may be fortuitous.⁵

Prognosis
Although based on very limited data - it was suggested that pregnancy does not appear to exacerbate tumor growth or effect the outcome of the patients ^8,9.

References

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4. Komiya S. Zenmyo M. Inoue A. Bone tumors in the pelvis presenting growth during pregnancy. Archives of Orthopedic & Trauma Surgery. 119 (1-2) : 22-9, 1999.
5. Lamovec J. Bracko M. Epithelioid hemangioma of small tubular bones : a report of three cases, two of them associated with pregnancy. Modern Pathology. 9(8):821-7, 1996.
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7. Merimsky O, Le Chevalier T, Missenard G, Lepechoux C, Cojean-Zelek I, Mesurolle B, Le Cesne A. Management of cancer in pregnancy: a case of Ewing's sarcoma of the pelvis in the therd trimester. Annals of Oncology. 10 ( 3 ):345-50, 1999.
8. Sadat-Ali M, Ibrahim EM. Malignant bone tumors in pregnancy. Indian J of Can 26:151-5, 1989.
9. Simon MA, Philips WA, Bonfiglio M. Pregnancy and aggressive or malignant primary bone tumors. Cancer 53:2564-9, 1984.