Late conception linked to risk of breast cancer

Motherhood is a boon for many women but it may also be sifted with the fear of developing breast cancer. When a breast cancer is diagnosed during the pregnancy or in the first year postpartum, it is termed as Pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC). While this ailment remains the second most common cause of malignancy to be profound among women in the reproductive age, is recorded to affect one in 3000.

With the current trend among the working parents to delay parenthood, the chances and risk associated to PABC are very high. postponing conception attributes to a rampant increase in breast cancer rates and are expected to go high in the coming times.

While a pregnant woman can be diagnosed with breast cancer in the initial stages, during her first trimester, the doctors may perform physical breast examination and monitor through self-assessment throughout the pregnancy term.

Doctors may find a palpable lesion or thickening of the breasts, which may arise suspicion and opt for further radiology tests. Though pathologies in over 80% of the cases are reported to be benign, a complete breast ultrasound may help to characterize the lesion features and are a successful tool in identifying the masses in case of PABC. As some pregnant women may be diagnosed with advanced stage of breast cancer, further evaluation is done to monitor the potential metastasis (spread to other organs) to the lungs, bone and liver.

While it is observed that most of the pregnant can complete the full term of the pregnancy and opt for normal or induced delivery. But if the mother is on chemotherapy sessions, then the treating surgeon will suggest for at least a time period of 2 to 3 weeks for delivery after the last session of chemotherapy is over.

Certain drug-induced treatment may require at least three months gap before trying to conceive so that the half-life of the drug is finished.Routine imaging is advised in such cases to the couple trying to conceive.

Over the last decade, even though there is a rise in incidence of breast cancer, but with awareness, access and changing paradigms in cancer care, the mortality rate has come down gradually.