Breast diseases and breast cancer screening in pregnant and puerperals in şanlıurfa province

Abstract

Objective: Pregnancy-associated breast cancer is breast cancer that occurs during pregnancy or within 1 year after birth. It occurs in one out of 3000-10000 pregnancies and is the most common cancer occurring during pregnancy and the postpartum period. It was aimed to reveal the incidence of pregnancy-associated breast cancer in pregnant and lactating patients in a city with high fertility rates.

Methods; Patients who presented with breast pain and palpable mass in the breast in the first year of pregnancy and lactation between December 2018 and November 2020 were prospectively recorded. 314 patients were included in the study.

Results; The mean age of the patients was 28.7 ± 6.1 years. 258 (82.1%) of the patients were Turkish and 56 (17.8%) were Syrian nationals. The most common complaints were pain in the breast, palpable mass, redness, and breast swelling. A palpable mass in the breast was detected in 39 (12.4%) patients. As a result of the examinations and tests performed in both patients, a diagnosis of malignancy was made.

Conclusion; Breast cancer risk increases in pregnant and breastfeeding patients. To reduce the incidence of breast cancer, it is important to perform a breast examination by a physician before or at the beginning of pregnancy and breast self-examination. From the moment of diagnosis, general surgery, obstetrics and oncology clinics should be followed with a multidisciplinary approach