Cancer Diagnosis Delays in Pregnant Women: A Call for Greater Vigilance

What's New

The study discovers that pregnant women experience cancer diagnosis delays due to misattributed symptoms.

Significance

Addressing this issue is crucial for healthcare professionals to ensure timely and accurate cancer diagnosis in pregnant women, facilitating early intervention and improved treatment outcomes.

Quick Summary

A groundbreaking study from the University of Surrey highlights a critical challenge in diagnosing cancer during pregnancy. The research shows that symptoms are often dismissed as pregnancy-related, leading to delays that can affect treatment outcomes. The study involved qualitative interviews with 20 women diagnosed with cancer either during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth. It was found that women with obvious symptoms like breast lumps sought help more promptly, whereas those with less specific symptoms, such as abdominal pain, faced diagnostic delays. The study calls for healthcare providers to maintain a broad diagnostic perspective and not immediately attribute symptoms to pregnancy.

Stats and Figures

• 1 in 1000: Estimated incidence of cancer diagnosis during or shortly after pregnancy.
• 20 women: Number of participants in the University of Surrey study exploring symptom appraisal among pregnant women with cancer.

Learning Objectives

Healthcare professionals need to assess symptoms beyond pregnancy assumptions.

The Diagnostic Challenge

Healthcare professionals need to assess symptoms beyond pregnancy assumptions.

Cancer symptoms during pregnancy can be misinterpreted as normal pregnancy changes, leading to delays in diagnosis.

Pregnancy-related physiological changes often mimic symptoms of certain cancers, complicating diagnosis.

If symptoms during pregnancy are misattributed to non-cancerous causes, then the opportunity for early cancer detection is missed.

During pregnancy, women experience numerous physiological changes that can mimic symptoms of various health conditions, including cancer. This overlap can create significant diagnostic challenges. As noted by the researchers at the University of Surrey, common cancer symptoms such as fatigue or nausea are often dismissed as typical pregnancy-related issues.

“Our research highlights the critical need for healthcare professionals to thoroughly assess pregnant women presenting with concerning symptoms,” said Dr. Afrodita Marcu, lead author of the study.

The study emphasizes the importance of healthcare professionals adopting a comprehensive approach when evaluating symptoms in pregnant patients. This involves considering differential diagnoses that include potential malignant causes alongside the expected changes of pregnancy.

Patient Advocacy and Self-Awareness

Encouraging self-advocacy among pregnant women can lead to better health outcomes.

Pregnant women should be encouraged to advocate for further investigations if symptoms persist.

Women may experience delays in diagnosis if symptoms are attributed solely to pregnancy, affecting their health outcomes.

Observations of numerous cases where delays occurred because symptoms were attributed to pregnancy can suggest a pattern requiring change.

Pete Wallroth from Mummy's Star emphasizes the importance of patient self-advocacy, noting that women should seek second opinions if symptoms persist. This viewpoint is crucial given the potential for significant health implications when symptoms are merely attributed to pregnancy.

“The research reiterates the importance of seeing symptoms independent of a person's pregnancy,” said Wallroth.

Such advocacy can play a pivotal role in prompting timely referrals and ensuring that symptoms are thoroughly investigated, ultimately safeguarding maternal health during pregnancy.

Improving Healthcare System Response

Healthcare systems must refine protocols to prioritize timely cancer diagnosis in pregnant women.

Systemic changes in healthcare protocols can improve timely cancer diagnosis during pregnancy.

Existing healthcare practices may prioritize pregnancy-related symptoms over potential cancer indicators, leading to delays.

By improving diagnostic protocols, similar outcomes seen in other areas, like targeted screenings, could improve with more consistent diagnoses.

The study calls for healthcare systems to revise their protocols for assessing symptoms in pregnant women. By drawing parallels with other successful medical screening programs, researchers suggest that a structured approach could enhance early cancer detection among this demographic.

“By carefully considering all possibilities and avoiding the immediate assumption that symptoms are solely pregnancy-related, we can ensure timely diagnoses and access appropriate treatment,” noted Dr. Marcu.

Implementing such systemic changes could lead to earlier detection and treatment of cancer in pregnant women, subsequently improving both maternal and fetal outcomes.

Citations

• Marcu, A., Ream, E., Poole, K., Armes, J., Gibson, F., Whitaker, L., & Harris, J. (2025). Symptom appraisal and help-seeking before a cancer diagnosis during pregnancy: a qualitative study. British Journal of General Practice. https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGP.2024.0208
• M. Xpress. (2025). Pregnant women face cancer diagnosis delays, study reveals. Medical Xpress. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01-pregnant-women-cancer-diagnosis-delays.html