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Updated: Jan 21, 2026

Porcine As a Training Module for Head and Neck Microvascular Reconstruction
Published on: September 29, 2018
Head and neck cancer during pregnancy
Jennifer Le Guevelou1, Sabrina Lebars2, Emmanuel Kammerer1
1Service de Radiothérapie, Centre François Baclesse, Caen, France.
Background:
The incidence of cancer during pregnancy is low but is slightly increasing. Data on incidence and etiology of head and neck (HN) cancers in pregnant women are rare. We evaluated the frequency, tumor type, associated factors, and specific biomarkers in HN cancers occurring in pregnant (and peripartum) women.
Methods:
A systematic literature search was performed on PubMed, for any HN tumor site occurring in pregnant women.
Results:
Sixty cases of HN cancers occurring during pregnancy were identified. Most of them were oral cavity cancers. Relationships with oncogenic viruses, hormonal disturbance, and shift in maternal immunity profile were identified.
Conclusion:
Carcinogenesis of HN cancers in pregnant women may be led by different cancer type-specific hallmarks. Relevance of these etiological factors with respect to treatments and birth control recommendations is being investigated by the REFCOR in an ambispective study.
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