Colon cancer during pregnancy

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Obstetrics
• Oncology

Background:

• Colon cancer diagnosis during pregnancy presents unique challenges.
• Delayed diagnosis can negatively impact prognosis for both mother and fetus.

Purpose of the Study:

• To emphasize the need for early diagnosis of colon cancer in pregnant women.
• To outline a recommended diagnostic pathway for pregnant patients with gastrointestinal symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Referral of pregnant patients with significant gastrointestinal complaints to gastroenterologists.
• Performance of sigmoidoscopy for lower gastrointestinal symptoms like rectal bleeding, ideally without medications.

Main Results:

• Sigmoidoscopy is highly sensitive for detecting colon cancer in pregnant patients.
• Cancers in pregnant patients are often located distally, within sigmoidoscope reach.

Conclusions:

• The medical community needs to be proactive in diagnosing colon cancer during pregnancy.
• Timely gastroenterological evaluation and sigmoidoscopy can significantly improve colon cancer prognosis in pregnant individuals.