User login
Women diagnosed with cancer during their childbearing years have an increased risk of preterm births, according to research published in JAMA Oncology.
The study showed that cancer survivors were more likely than women who never had cancer to give birth prematurely, have underweight babies, and undergo cesarean section deliveries.
The researchers said women diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy may be delivering early in order to start their cancer treatment, but that does not fully explain these findings.
The team also detected an increased risk of preterm delivery in women who had already received cancer treatment.
“We found that women were more likely to deliver preterm if they’ve been treated for cancer overall, with greater risks for women who had chemotherapy,” said study author Hazel B. Nichols, PhD, of University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center in Chapel Hill.
“While we believe these findings are something women should be aware of, we still have a lot of work to do to understand why this risk is becoming apparent and whether or not the children who are born preterm to these women go on to develop any health concerns.”
Dr Nichols and her colleagues analyzed data on 2598 births to female adolescent and young adult cancer survivors (ages 15 to 39) and 12,990 births to women without a cancer diagnosis.
Among cancer survivors, there was a significantly increased prevalence of preterm birth (prevalence ratio [PR]=1.52), low birth weight (PR=1.59), and cesarean delivery (PR=1.08), compared to women without a cancer diagnosis.
Timing of diagnosis and cancer type
When the researchers broke the data down by cancer diagnosis, they found a higher risk of preterm birth and low birth weight for women with lymphoma as well as breast and gynecologic cancers.
The PR for preterm birth was 1.59 for Hodgkin lymphoma, 1.98 for breast cancer, 2.11 for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and 2.58 for gynecologic cancer. The PR for low birth weight was 1.59 for breast cancer, 2.41 for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and 2.74 for gynecologic cancer.
The researchers found an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes among women who were diagnosed with cancer while pregnant and before pregnancy.
Among women diagnosed while pregnant, the PR was 2.97 for preterm birth, 2.82 for low birth weight, 1.21 for cesarean delivery, and 1.90 for low Apgar score. Among women diagnosed before pregnancy, the PR was 1.23 for preterm birth and 1.36 for low birth weight.
Role of treatment
Compared to women without a cancer diagnosis, cancer survivors who received chemotherapy but no radiation were more likely to have preterm births (PR=2.11), infants with low birth weight (PR=2.36), and cesarean deliveries (PR=1.16).
There was no significant increase in adverse birth outcomes among cancer survivors who received radiation but not chemotherapy.
Among the cancer survivors, women who received chemotherapy without radiation were more likely to have preterm births (PR=2.12), infants with low birth weight (PR=2.13), and infants who were small for their gestational age (PR=1.43) when compared to women treated with surgery only.
Dr Nichols said the role of treatment is an area of possible future research.
“We’d like to get better information about the types of chemotherapy women receive,” she said. “Chemotherapy is a very broad category, and the agents have very different effects on the body. In the future, we’d like to get more detailed information on the types of drugs that were involved in treatment.” 
Women diagnosed with cancer during their childbearing years have an increased risk of preterm births, according to research published in JAMA Oncology.
The study showed that cancer survivors were more likely than women who never had cancer to give birth prematurely, have underweight babies, and undergo cesarean section deliveries.
The researchers said women diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy may be delivering early in order to start their cancer treatment, but that does not fully explain these findings.
The team also detected an increased risk of preterm delivery in women who had already received cancer treatment.
“We found that women were more likely to deliver preterm if they’ve been treated for cancer overall, with greater risks for women who had chemotherapy,” said study author Hazel B. Nichols, PhD, of University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center in Chapel Hill.
“While we believe these findings are something women should be aware of, we still have a lot of work to do to understand why this risk is becoming apparent and whether or not the children who are born preterm to these women go on to develop any health concerns.”
Dr Nichols and her colleagues analyzed data on 2598 births to female adolescent and young adult cancer survivors (ages 15 to 39) and 12,990 births to women without a cancer diagnosis.
Among cancer survivors, there was a significantly increased prevalence of preterm birth (prevalence ratio [PR]=1.52), low birth weight (PR=1.59), and cesarean delivery (PR=1.08), compared to women without a cancer diagnosis.
Timing of diagnosis and cancer type
When the researchers broke the data down by cancer diagnosis, they found a higher risk of preterm birth and low birth weight for women with lymphoma as well as breast and gynecologic cancers.
The PR for preterm birth was 1.59 for Hodgkin lymphoma, 1.98 for breast cancer, 2.11 for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and 2.58 for gynecologic cancer. The PR for low birth weight was 1.59 for breast cancer, 2.41 for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and 2.74 for gynecologic cancer.
The researchers found an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes among women who were diagnosed with cancer while pregnant and before pregnancy.
Among women diagnosed while pregnant, the PR was 2.97 for preterm birth, 2.82 for low birth weight, 1.21 for cesarean delivery, and 1.90 for low Apgar score. Among women diagnosed before pregnancy, the PR was 1.23 for preterm birth and 1.36 for low birth weight.
Role of treatment
Compared to women without a cancer diagnosis, cancer survivors who received chemotherapy but no radiation were more likely to have preterm births (PR=2.11), infants with low birth weight (PR=2.36), and cesarean deliveries (PR=1.16).
There was no significant increase in adverse birth outcomes among cancer survivors who received radiation but not chemotherapy.
Among the cancer survivors, women who received chemotherapy without radiation were more likely to have preterm births (PR=2.12), infants with low birth weight (PR=2.13), and infants who were small for their gestational age (PR=1.43) when compared to women treated with surgery only.
Dr Nichols said the role of treatment is an area of possible future research.
“We’d like to get better information about the types of chemotherapy women receive,” she said. “Chemotherapy is a very broad category, and the agents have very different effects on the body. In the future, we’d like to get more detailed information on the types of drugs that were involved in treatment.”
Women diagnosed with cancer during their childbearing years have an increased risk of preterm births, according to research published in JAMA Oncology.
The study showed that cancer survivors were more likely than women who never had cancer to give birth prematurely, have underweight babies, and undergo cesarean section deliveries.
The researchers said women diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy may be delivering early in order to start their cancer treatment, but that does not fully explain these findings.
The team also detected an increased risk of preterm delivery in women who had already received cancer treatment.
“We found that women were more likely to deliver preterm if they’ve been treated for cancer overall, with greater risks for women who had chemotherapy,” said study author Hazel B. Nichols, PhD, of University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center in Chapel Hill.
“While we believe these findings are something women should be aware of, we still have a lot of work to do to understand why this risk is becoming apparent and whether or not the children who are born preterm to these women go on to develop any health concerns.”
Dr Nichols and her colleagues analyzed data on 2598 births to female adolescent and young adult cancer survivors (ages 15 to 39) and 12,990 births to women without a cancer diagnosis.
Among cancer survivors, there was a significantly increased prevalence of preterm birth (prevalence ratio [PR]=1.52), low birth weight (PR=1.59), and cesarean delivery (PR=1.08), compared to women without a cancer diagnosis.
Timing of diagnosis and cancer type
When the researchers broke the data down by cancer diagnosis, they found a higher risk of preterm birth and low birth weight for women with lymphoma as well as breast and gynecologic cancers.
The PR for preterm birth was 1.59 for Hodgkin lymphoma, 1.98 for breast cancer, 2.11 for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and 2.58 for gynecologic cancer. The PR for low birth weight was 1.59 for breast cancer, 2.41 for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and 2.74 for gynecologic cancer.
The researchers found an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes among women who were diagnosed with cancer while pregnant and before pregnancy.
Among women diagnosed while pregnant, the PR was 2.97 for preterm birth, 2.82 for low birth weight, 1.21 for cesarean delivery, and 1.90 for low Apgar score. Among women diagnosed before pregnancy, the PR was 1.23 for preterm birth and 1.36 for low birth weight.
Role of treatment
Compared to women without a cancer diagnosis, cancer survivors who received chemotherapy but no radiation were more likely to have preterm births (PR=2.11), infants with low birth weight (PR=2.36), and cesarean deliveries (PR=1.16).
There was no significant increase in adverse birth outcomes among cancer survivors who received radiation but not chemotherapy.
Among the cancer survivors, women who received chemotherapy without radiation were more likely to have preterm births (PR=2.12), infants with low birth weight (PR=2.13), and infants who were small for their gestational age (PR=1.43) when compared to women treated with surgery only.
Dr Nichols said the role of treatment is an area of possible future research.
“We’d like to get better information about the types of chemotherapy women receive,” she said. “Chemotherapy is a very broad category, and the agents have very different effects on the body. In the future, we’d like to get more detailed information on the types of drugs that were involved in treatment.”