Issues obstétricales, néonatales et oncologiques chez les femmes enceintes atteintes de cancer
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- Abstract Pregnancy-associated cancer (PAC) is a rare and complex clinical situation that presents a major challenge for healthcare teams. It occurs in approximately one in 1,000 pregnancies, and its incidence is increasing due to the postponement of childbearing to a more advanced maternal age. The malignancies most identified in this context are breast cancer, lymphomas, and cervical cancer. Diagnosis is often delayed because symptoms of cancer may be mistaken for the normal physiological changes of pregnancy. The aim of this study was to describe patient characteristics, oncological management, and the obstetric and neonatal outcomes following a cancer diagnosis during pregnancy. This was a retrospective, single-centre, descriptive study conducted at the Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, based on the medical records of patients managed between 2009 and 2024. After medical records were screened, 27 patients were included in the analysis. Breast cancer was the most common tumour type, accounting for 55.6% of cases. The mean age at diagnosis was 34.0 ± 3.6 years, and the mean gestational age at diagnosis was 16.0 ± 10.5 weeks of gestation. Oncological treatment was administered during pregnancy to 22 patients (81.5%), mainly chemotherapy, either alone or in combination with surgery. Among the pregnancies included in the study, 25 resulted in delivery, including two twin pregnancies. Four obstetric complications were observed, mainly related to cancer treatment. Eight preterm deliveries and one intrauterine fetal death were also recorded. Among the 26 live-born infants, nine required admission to the neonatal care unit and five were small for the gestational age. No neonatal deaths were observed. In this series, breast cancer was the most frequent diagnosis, and oncological treatment could be delivered during pregnancy in most patients. Nevertheless, the number of preterm births and neonatal admissions highlights the need for close multidisciplinary follow-up in specialized centres.