Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer in Pregnancy: Overcoming the Challenge. A Case Series and Review of the Literature

Abstract

ObjectiveCervical cancer is the most common gynecological cancer occurring in pregnancy, creating a complex situation both for patient and physician. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is an innovative way of managing cervical cancer in pregnancy.MethodsIn our paper, we report a retrospective case series of 4 women treated with chemotherapy for invasive cervical cancer during pregnancy in our center over the last 5 years, and we summarize the available literature and guidelines.ResultsAll the cases were locally advanced cervical cancers that received chemotherapy with platinum and/or taxanes. All patients showed a good response to chemotherapy and a radical surgery was performed with no additional morbidities at the cesarean delivery time in 3 of 4 cases. Three of 4 patients are alive and have a good outcome with no recurrence of disease up to date. One patient died because of recurrent disease 2 years after the first-line treatment during pregnancy. All babies are alive and well up to date (maximum follow-up, 63 months).ConclusionsEven if there are no standardized practices in the treatment of cervical cancer in pregnancy, in our opinion, neoadjuvant chemotherapy can be a very useful strategy for patients and physicians facing the challenge.