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Did you know lung cancer is affecting more pregnant women?

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Ditulis oleh Tran Pham · Disemak pada 12/05/2020

    Did you know lung cancer is affecting more pregnant women?

    The chance of you getting lung cancer while you are pregnant is rare but it can happen. There have been more cases of women being treated for cancer during their pregnancy. Studies have shown that cancer complicates 1 in 1000 pregnancies while lung cancer being one of them. The reason may be that the age of women having their first child has increased over the years, being at least 30 years or older. Even if these cases are rare, it is still necessary to know the signs and your treatment options during pregnancy.

    What are the signs and symptoms of lung cancer during pregnancy?

    Cancer during pregnancy is rare, but it is possible. As women nowadays usually wait until they get older to have children, and cancer risk increase with age, it is possible to develop cancer during pregnancy. The doctor often finds out lung cancer during checkup for the pregnant women.

    Symptoms for lung cancer in pregnant women are often over looked, as people just think they are pregnancy sickness: cough, shortness of breath, a fever, and fatigue.

    How is lung cancer treated during pregnancy?

    Treatment for lung cancer during pregnancy is complex, as many believe that it may harm the child. In some people, severe cancer can spread to the placenta, but there are also cases where the baby is safe from lung cancer metastasis.

    Treatment for lung cancer in pregnant women is the same as treatment in normal people. However, treatment for lung cancer can harm the fetus, especially during the first 3 months of pregnancy. Thus pregnant women with lung cancer are usually advised to delay their treatment until the second or third trimester. Each treatment will be tailored made for each pregnant mom, depending on:

  • The location of the cancer;
  • The type of cancer;
  • The stage of the cancer;
  • How old the fetus is (how long the woman has been pregnant);
  • The wishes of the mother.
  • Some doctors will recommend waiting until after delivery to get treatment. Similar to treatment in normal people, treatment for lung cancer in pregnant women include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

  • Surgery is the safest treatment for lung cancer, especially after the first trimester.
  • Chemotherapy during the first trimester can cause birth defects and low birth weights or may cause a woman to miscarry. However, some chemotherapy and other drugs may be given during the second and third trimesters without causing harm to the fetus because of the protection from the placenta.
  • Radiation can harm a fetus, especially during the first trimester when the baby’s organs and nervous system are developing, so radiation treatment is usually not recommended during this time. Whether or not radiation therapy can be used in the second or third trimester depends on the dose of radiation and the area of the body being treated.
  • What happens after childbirth?

    Generally, cancer does not usually affect the pregnancy, and pregnancy does not affect the cancer outcome. But the treatments for cancer may have a harmful effect on the fetus. After childbirth, the child is not at risk of getting cancer cells from the mom, but the treatment (such as chemotherapy) can pass to the child from breast milk. So doctor might advise you not to breastfeed your child.

    Also, changes in hormone might lead to some development with the cancer. It is best that your get treatment as soon as possible. Providing treatment right away may be the safest option for some women with more advanced or aggressive cancers found early in a pregnancy.

    3 important things about lung cancer you should know

  • Lung cancer can happen to anyone. Anybody who has lungs can get lung cancer. Even though 90% of people who have lung cancer are smokers, there is still that 10% who are non-smokers. This includes young and healthy pregnant women.
  • Don’t ignore your symptoms. Common signs of lung cancer such as chronic cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, fatigue or pneumonia can be signs of many other health conditions. You should still let your doctor know to be sure.
  • Researches in lung cancer treatment are advancing. This is a positive sign. New drugs are developing to make it possible for mothers to see their child grow.
  • If you are pregnant and your doctor just diagnosed you with lung cancer, don’t feel depressed. Your doctor and medical team will do the best they can to give you the best treatment.

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    Ditulis oleh Tran Pham · Disemak pada 12/05/2020

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