Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2011 Dec;54(12):807-811. 10.5468/KJOG.2011.54.12.807.

A case of unrecognized pregnancy during chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer patient

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. jsparkmd@snu.ac.kr
  • 2Center for Uterine Cancer, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.

Abstract

Most chemotherapeutic drugs are known to possess significant teratogenic effects. Although several agents have been proven to be safe for the fetus after organogenesis period, there is limited information on their use during pregnancy and it is very difficult to establish researches on the effect to human. We report a very unique case of unrecognized pregnancy in lung cancer patient who had been treated with variable agents of chemotherapy. A 25-year-old woman (gravida 0) who had been diagnosed as non-small cell lung cancer 6 years ago and received multiple regimens of chemotherapy presented at full term pregnancy with unknown gestational period. Without knowledge of pregnancy, she received a palliative chemotherapy with Docetaxel during first and second trimesters. Vaginal delivery with induction of labor due to postterm pregnancy was performed after evaluation of her medical condition and fetal surveillance. A 2,450 g female newborn was delivered with no evidence of congenital malformations.

Keyword

Pregnancy; Lung neoplasmas; Antineoplastic combined chemotherapy protocols

MeSH Terms

Adult
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung
Female
Fetus
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Lung Neoplasms
Organogenesis
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Trimester, Second
Taxoids
Taxoids

Figure

  • Fig. 1 (A) Probable metastatic nodule in right post central gyrus and (B) another metastatic nodule left medial temporal lobe were found in brain magnetic resonance imaging taken in October, 2010.

  • Fig. 2 Chest radiograph posterior anterior view shows multiple nodular lesions in both sides of lung before induction of labor.


Reference

1. Gurumurthy M, Koh P, Singh R, Bhide A, Satodia P, Hocking M, et al. Metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer and the use of gemcitabine during pregnancy. J Perinatol. 2009. 29:63–65.
2. Penha DS, Salge AK, Tironi F, Saldanha JC, Castro EC, Teixeira Vde P, et al. Bronchogenic carcinoma of squamous cells in a young pregnant woman. Ann Diagn Pathol. 2006. 10:235–238.
3. Kim JH, Kim HS, Sung CW, Kim KJ, Kim CH, Lee KY. Docetaxel, gemcitabine, and cisplatin administered for non-small cell lung cancer during the first and second trimester of an unrecognized pregnancy. Lung Cancer. 2008. 59:270–273.
4. Moran BJ, Yano H, Al Zahir N, Farquharson M. Conflicting priorities in surgical intervention for cancer in pregnancy. Lancet Oncol. 2007. 8:536–544.
5. Hahn KM, Johnson PH, Gordon N, Kuerer H, Middleton L, Ramirez M, et al. Treatment of pregnant breast cancer patients and outcomes of children exposed to chemotherapy in utero. Cancer. 2006. 107:1219–1226.
6. Meirow D, Schiff E. Appraisal of chemotherapy effects on reproductive outcome according to animal studies and clinical data. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 2005. 21–25.
7. Zemlickis D, Lishner M, Degendorfer P, Panzarella T, Sutcliffe SB, Koren G. Fetal outcome after in utero exposure to cancer chemotherapy. Arch Intern Med. 1992. 152:573–576.
8. Cardonick E, Iacobucci A. Use of chemotherapy during human pregnancy. Lancet Oncol. 2004. 5:283–291.
9. De Santis M, Lucchese A, De Carolis S, Ferrazani S, Caruso A. Metastatic breast cancer in pregnancy: first case of chemotherapy with docetaxel. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2000. 9:235–237.
10. Nieto Y, Santisteban M, Aramendía JM, Fernández-Hidalgo O, García-Manero M, López G. Docetaxel administered during pregnancy for inflammatory breast carcinoma. Clin Breast Cancer. 2006. 6:533–534.
11. Potluri V, Lewis D, Burton GV. Chemotherapy with taxanes in breast cancer during pregnancy: case report and review of the literature. Clin Breast Cancer. 2006. 7:167–170.
12. Stensheim H, Moller B, van Dijk T, Fosså SD. Cause-specific survival for women diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy or lactation: a registry-based cohort study. J Clin Oncol. 2009. 27:45–51.
Full Text Links
  • KJOG
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr