Perinatal invasive malignant diseases: a review of twenty-five cases in South China

Malignant neoplastic diseases (MND) are unusual complications during perinatal period and compose a dilemma for both patients and the health practitioners. Little is known about the information in Chinese suffering perinatal MND. Analyzing medical records and questionnaire, information on a series of 25 patients with a diagnosis of perinatal MND was collected from 3 medical centers between 1992 and 2004. Among all the 25 patients, 10 selected termination of the pregnancies and the other 15 continued their pregnancies until labor voluntarily, both groups obtain anti-malignancies therapies during the perinatal period. The two groups were not statistically different for the age of pregnancy, gravid and parity number, interval weeks between symptoms emergence and diagnosis of invasive malignant disease, as well as the occurrence rates of major side effects induced by malignant therapies. No statistical differences in overall survival and disease-free survival between the two groups, including the age of pregnancy, gravid and parity number, obstetric bleeding rates, neonatal distress rates, neonatal weight and puerperal morbidity rates. The patients' neonates all show no serious complications. In conclusion, pregnancy may not affect the course of MND, and termination of pregnancy may not benefit the maternal-fetal conditions, in a macroscopical point of view.