Maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by bone and soft-tissue tumors

Primary bone and soft-tissue tumors occur rarely in pregnancy. The objective of this study was to describe the outcome of a large cohort of pregnant patients with these rare tumors.

Pregnant women diagnosed with bone or soft-tissue tumors during pregnancy or within 3 months after delivery were identified retrospectively for the years 1983-2003 in the University Health Network database, University of Toronto. Relevant maternal and neonatal data were collected on a standardized data form.

In more than 60,000 deliveries during the study period, 17 patients were identified. Gestational age at diagnosis ranged from 11 weeks to 2 months postpartum. Eight cases involved the lower extremity and 6 involved the upper extremity. Osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and giant-cell tumors were the most common histological types. Metastases occurred in 7 cases. Nine cases were treated surgically during the course of pregnancy. The majority of patients were delivered at term. Chemotherapy was deferred until the postpartum period. One patient elected for early termination of pregnancy. Three patients were delivered before 37 weeks of gestation to proceed with therapy. One neonate delivered at 34 weeks developed respiratory distress syndrome and required intubation. Three patients died, all as the result of metastatic disease. There were no perinatal or infant deaths.

Most cases of soft-tissue and bone tumors during pregnancy can be successfully managed with surgery during gestation. Therapies with fetal toxicity were more likely to be deferred to the postpartum period.