Challenges Associated with Colorectal Cancer in Pregnancy

Colorectal cancer is epidemiologically a disease of the middle-aged and elderly. However, it may occur in the young where it presents with virulent biological behavior and poor prognosis. The symptoms of colorectal cancer may be masked by symptoms of pregnancy and the patient may attribute it to the...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Case reports in gastroenterology 2019-05, Vol.13 (2), p.253-257
Main Authors: Amarjothi , J.M.V., Ramasamy, Villalan, Senthil Kumaran, G.R., Naganath Babu, O.L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
Adenocarcinoma
Biopsy
Case and Review
Case reports
Colonoscopy
Colorectal cancer
Disclosure
Metastasis
NMR
Nuclear magnetic resonance
Obstetrics
Ostomy
Pain
Pregnancy
Tomography
Tumors
Ultrasonic imaging
Well being
Womens health
Writing
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Colorectal cancer is epidemiologically a disease of the middle-aged and elderly. However, it may occur in the young where it presents with virulent biological behavior and poor prognosis. The symptoms of colorectal cancer may be masked by symptoms of pregnancy and the patient may attribute it to the pregnancy, especially in multiparous patients whose anxiety and apprehension levels may be lower and hence present late to health care providers. Antenatal women who present with such symptoms must be investigated further under the available repertoire of investigations possible in pregnancy without causing any maternal or fetal hazard. Treatment with chemotherapy and radiation for cancer in this setting is further hampered by justifiable concerns over fetal well-being. We present a case of colorectal cancer in a young multiparous female and the associated difficulties in diagnosis and management. The challenges with colorectal cancers and pregnancies are expected to rise in the future with a decreasing trend in age of colorectal cancer occurrence and an increasing age of pregnancy due to lifestyle changes.
ISSN:1662-0631
1662-0631
DOI:10.1159/000500078