Malignant melanoma and cervical cancer highly prevalent among pregnancy-associated cancers
Pregnancy-associated cancer (PAC) has an estimated incidence of around one per 1,000 deliveries and is challenging for the patient and the doctor. Cancer diagnosed during pregnancy should be studied separately from post-delivery cases. There are chances of misinterpretation of cancer symptoms delaying the diagnosis, and cancer incidence should be assessed shortly.
In a recent study, malignant melanoma, breast and cervical cancer constitute 50% of PAC. The malignant melanoma incidence rate is higher during pregnancy, and hospital-based studies may miss a substantial proportion of cases. Researchers in this study also found that PACs are lower during pregnancy, particularly during the first and second trimesters, compared with the first year post-delivery. The team highlighted higher maternal age as the strongest PAC risk factor. Nulliparity and non-immigrant background have an association with higher PAC risk.
This study, "Risk factors for the increasing incidence of pregnancy-associated cancer in Sweden - a population-based study" by Lundberg, is published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica.
PAC incidence is increasing in many countries, and there is little data about these trends' risk factors. In the present study, a team of researchers quantified the incidence of PAC by trimesters and post-delivery periods. It assessed the role of maternal age, parity, immigrant status, education, smoking and body mass index for PAC risk and incidence trends. They used data from Sweden's national birth and cancer registers from 1973-2017.
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