Health

Things you should know about cancer during pregnancy

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Cancer is one of the most deadly diseases in the world and cancer can be detected at any stage of life including pregnancy. About 3500 women are getting affected by cancer during pregnancy every year, so everyone should know how cancer affects pregnancy. 

In a discussion with one of the best oncologist in Delhi, Dr Vikas Goswami, we discovered key things that you should know about cancer during pregnancy. 

  1. How can cancer be noticed in pregnant women – Cancer is difficult to identify in pregnant women’s bodies because pregnant women face so many changes in their body like fetus expatiation, headaches, vomiting, breast changes which are common symptoms in cancer. Because of this addition, cancer diagnoses are typically limited in pregnant women. If a doctor assumes cancer during pregnancy, you may require some tests to make a diagnosis. These might involve X-Ray, CT Scan, MRI, Ultrasound, Biopsy. Sometimes, regular tests that are done during pregnancy can create cancer quicker than they would have been found otherwise.

    For example, a Pap test can detect cervical cancer, and an ultrasound can reveal ovarian cancer in its initial steps. In several cases, cancer will not appear in the need to end your pregnancy. However, in any case, you might have to deliver your baby shortly.

  2. What sort of cancers are typical amongst pregnant women –  The usual popular kind of cancer amongst pregnant women is breast cancer, it affects about 1 in 3000 pregnant women. Pregnant women can also be affected by cervical cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, thyroid cancer, lymphoma, melanoma, and gestational tumor. Pregnant women can be diagnosed with almost any kind of cancer, though these tumors are more likely to hit younger women. 

  3. Are diagnostic tests and procedures secure while pregnancy –  Most of the commonly used diagnostic tests are secure for both the woman and the baby. This includes X-Rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) scans, ultrasounds, and biopsies. X-rays and CT scans, but, should be used carefully due to the transmission. The radiation generated from X-Rays is too low to create harm to a fetus. CT scans, give off a greater amount of radiation. 

If diagnosed with cancer, both the obstetrician team and the oncology team will work together to determine the best choice for treatment. Both surgery and chemotherapy can be secured for both the woman and the fetus. The wellness team will examine many factors, including the kind, place, area, and staging of cancer. Depending on these circumstances, a woman may be capable of receiving treatment quickly. Depending on the drug, the medical team recommends waiting until after the first trimester (when the baby’s organs are formed) or waiting till after the birth to begin chemotherapy. 

  1. How will cancer hit my pregnancy – Cancer infrequently affects the baby during pregnancy. If applied in the initial trimester, chemotherapy may generate birthmarks or pregnancy failure. Regulating chemotherapy after the first trimester has very less severe risks, the most prominent being possible preterm birth and the probability of babes being small for gestational age. While those are major risks to be informed of, they are not significantly common. Once the baby is born, the mother can proceed with treatment. If experiencing chemotherapy, though, she should not breastfeed as the medicines can transfer through breast milk.

  2. Is any investigation being made in cancer through pregnancies – Cancer treatment is constantly growing. Immunotherapy is only one of the hopeful advances. As current treatments become available, researchers are continually working to discover which treatments are safe for pregnant women. There are several researchers currently examining the results of new drugs, how they go in the body, and the breast milk combination. There are further continuing studies including children who were proved to cancer therapies in utero. 

To get more information regarding cancer during pregnancy, please contact Dr. Vikas Goswami, who is one of the most reputed oncologist in Ghaziabad and Delhi NCR.