Pregnancy-associated breast cancer
- Apr 28
- 2 min read
All doctors, who care pregnant ladies, have to remember about PREGNANCY-ASSOCIATED breast cancer.
Hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy can significantly impact breast tissue, potentially leading to changes such as tenderness, swelling, or the development of breast masses.
These changes are often BENIGN and related to hormonal shifts, because during pregnancy, the breasts undergo significant changes in preparation for lactation.
If a pregnant lady noticed any new or unusual breast changes, it's essential to consult with her doctor for proper evaluation and diagnosis to rule out any underlying conditions.
Why the medical evaluation is essential:
Early detection:
while many breast changes are benign, a doctor can perform an examination and further testing to rule out any serious conditions, such as breast cancer.
Diagnostic challenge:
the normal physiological changes in the breast during pregnancy, such as increased glandular tissue and density, can make it more difficult to detect existing or new lesions.
Similar to non-pregnant ladies, most pregnant and lactating women, presenting for breast imaging, are found to have BENIGN disease.
However, all palpable masses in a pregnant or lactating patient that persist for 2 weeks or longer should be promptly evaluated with ultrasound.
Biopsy should be considered for any new solid mass, identified despite a benign appearance.
If biopsy is not performed, then close imaging and clinical follow-up is necessary.
A thorough understanding of the clinical and imaging features of normal physiologic changes and of common benign entities is required to differentiate these entities from pregnancy-associated breast cancer.
Breast Imaging of the Pregnant and Lactating Patient: Physiologic Changes and Common Benign Entities // American Journal of Roentgenology: https://ajronline.org/doi/10.2214/AJR.12.9845
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