Pregnancy-associated breast cancer as a screening and diagnostic challenge: a case report
Abstract
Pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) is the most common malignancy of pregnancy, affecting 1 in 3000 women. Due to the increased size and density of the breast tissue during pregnancy and lactation, diagnosis and treatment are commonly delayed. A 37-year-old woman, gravida 1 para 0, at the 27th week of gestation presented with two tumors of approximately 2 cm in the right breast with ipsilateral lymph node involvement on the ultrasonography. HER2–, ER+, PR+, a poorly differentiated ductal carcinoma was identified by the core biopsy and immunohistochemistry. The diagnosis of PABC was made, the tumor’s clinical stage was cT2, N1, Mx. She underwent a total mastectomy with axillary node dissection on the right side and was started on adjuvant therapy with paclitaxel. Our report highlights the importance of proper breast oncology surveillance during pregnancy, using safe and inexpensive methods including ultrasonography and biopsy of suspicious masses, to avoid cancer development and progression.
Keywords: breast neoplasmspregnancydiagnosis
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