Pregnancy: Chemotherapy would leave the child alone
Presented at the European Multidisciplinary Congress on Cancer, it shows that their children do not appear to have suffered from the chemotherapy then initiated. The follow-up showed no impairment of their intellectual and cardiac abilities at 18 months, 5-6 years, 8-9 years... and up to 18 years for some! However, 47 of the 70 children were born prematurely, with more than 5 weeks in advance for some. Comparing their results with those who have completed, doctors believe that the difficulties found in older preterm infants are related to this shortened pregnancy rather than to their mother's cancer treatment.
"Therefore, we believe that these results allow us to make a recommendation regarding chemotherapy during pregnancy: pregnant women who have cancer should not postpone their treatment or terminate their pregnancy. The benefits of treatment outweigh any harm to the child," explains Prof. Lover of the University Hospital of Leuven in Belgium, in his presentation to Congress.
In the group followed, all patients received chemotherapy, sometimes supplemented by radiotherapy and/or surgery. With a majority of breast cancers, then leukemias, lymphomas, cancers of the ovaries, brain, skin... Faced with these different experiences, Prof. Amant insists on a second conclusion: "Premature births should be avoided and pregnancy should continue until at least 37 weeks since the data suggest that children suffer more from prematurity. The delivery of pregnant women undergoing chemotherapy is often triggered as soon as the fetus is viable, albeit immature. Our results suggest that it should be avoided." For now, according to the team, these triggers take precedence in the causes of prematurity over a possible influence of chemotherapy.
Caution remains to be exercised as to the long-term effect on children of this prenatal treatment in terms of fertility and a possible over-risk of cancer. The international study therefore continues to follow more children over longer periods of time.
"Therefore, we believe that these results allow us to make a recommendation regarding chemotherapy during pregnancy: pregnant women who have cancer should not postpone their treatment or terminate their pregnancy. The benefits of treatment outweigh any harm to the child," explains Prof. Lover of the University Hospital of Leuven in Belgium, in his presentation to Congress.
In the group followed, all patients received chemotherapy, sometimes supplemented by radiotherapy and/or surgery. With a majority of breast cancers, then leukemias, lymphomas, cancers of the ovaries, brain, skin... Faced with these different experiences, Prof. Amant insists on a second conclusion: "Premature births should be avoided and pregnancy should continue until at least 37 weeks since the data suggest that children suffer more from prematurity. The delivery of pregnant women undergoing chemotherapy is often triggered as soon as the fetus is viable, albeit immature. Our results suggest that it should be avoided." For now, according to the team, these triggers take precedence in the causes of prematurity over a possible influence of chemotherapy.
Caution remains to be exercised as to the long-term effect on children of this prenatal treatment in terms of fertility and a possible over-risk of cancer. The international study therefore continues to follow more children over longer periods of time.