Pregnancy outcomes in Victorian women diagnosed with cancer
Pregnancy outcomes in Victorian women diagnosed with cancer
NEMICS is pleased to share with you the Pregnancy Outcomes in Victorian Women Diagnosed with Cancer report. This report highlights the efforts of our lived experience partners, clinical leaders from Austin, Eastern, Mercy Hospital for Women, and Northern Health, and our program to deliver these novel findings.
In Victoria each year there are approximately 165 women diagnosed with cancer during the pregnancy associated cancer (PAC) period, from conception through to 12 month postpartum. The most common tumour streams were breast cancer (32.4%), followed by thyroid and other endocrine cancers (14.2%) and haematological malignancies (11.7%), which together accounted for the majority of cases.
Treatment most commonly occurs after delivery (61%), while 39% of women received cancer care during pregnancy. More than 80% of women with PAC received surgery alone or surgery combined with systemic anti-cancer therapy, while a smaller proportion received systemic therapy alone. There are implications for fertility preservation practices. Alignment of cancer and maternity care within a woman’s ICS region is associated with more favourable pregnancy outcomes.
