Rectal carcinoma in pregnancy – a case report

The authors present a case of a pregnant woman suffering from colorectal cancer in order to contribute to the knowledge regarding this situation and to optimise its management. Rectal cancer in pregnancy is a rare disease, challenging clinicians as there are no generally accepted guidelines regarding diagnosis or treatment. Early diagnosis remains to be the key. When the disease is particularly aggressive, the prognosis remains poor despite pregnancy cessation and radical therapy.

Pregnancy; Rectal cancer.

[1] Ochshorn Y., Kupferminc M.J., Lessing J.B., Pausner D., Geva E.,

Daniel Y.: “Rectal carcinoma during pregnancy: a reminder and updated

treatment protocols”. Eur. J. Obstet. Gynecol. Reproduct. Biol.,

2000, 91, 201.

[2] Freitas A.H.A., Madeira H., Fonseca L.M.D., Castro E.V.D.: “Cancer

de reto durante gestaçao: relato de caso e revisao da literatura”.

Rev. Bras. Coloproct., 2011, 31, 81.

[3] Bernstein M.A., Madoff R.D., Caushaj P.F.: “Colon and rectal cancer

in pregnancy”. Dis. Colon Rectum, 1993, 36, 172.

[4] Parangi S., Levine D., Henry A., Isakovic N., Pories S.: “Surgical

gastrointestinal disorders during pregnancy”. Am. J. Surg., 2007,

193, 223.

[5] Yüksel H., Odabaşı A.R., Küçük M., Sezer S.D., Çulhacı N., Dayanır Y.: “Rectal cancer in pregnancy: a case report”. Eur. J. Gynaec. nOncol., 2011, 32, 443.

[6] Pitluk H., Poticha S.M.: “Carcinoma of the colon and rectum in patients less than 40 years of age”. Surg. Gynecol. Obstet., 1983, 157, 335.

[7] Recalde M., Holyoke E.D., Elias E.G.: “Carcinoma of the colon, rectum, and anal canal in young patients”. Surg. Gynecol. Obstet., 1974, 139, 909.

[8] Sanfelippo P.M., Beahrs O.H.: “Carcinoma of the colon in patients under forty years of age”. Surg. Gynecol. Obstet., 1974, 138, 169.

[9] Walton W.W. Jr., Hagihara P.F., Griffen W.O. Jr.: “Colorectal adenocarcinoma in patients less than 40 years old”. Dis. Colon Rectum, 1976, 19, 529.

[10] Woods J.B., Martin J.N. Jr., Ingram F.H., Odom C.D., Scott-Conner C.E., Rhodes R.S.: “Pregnancy complicated by carcinoma above the rectum”. Am. J. Perinatol., 1992, 9, 102.

[11] Medich D.S., Fazio V.W.: “Hemorrhoids, anal fissure, and carcinoma of the colon, rectum and anus during pregnancy”. Surg. Clin. North Am., 1995, 75, 77.

[12] Cunningham F.G., Leveno K.J., Bloom S.L., Hauth J.C., Rouse D.J., Spong C.Y. (eds).: “Neoplastic diseases”. In: Williams Obstetrics, 23rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010, 1205.