Metastatic colorectal cancer during pregnancy: A tertiary center experience and review of the literature

Abstract

Background Colorectal cancer during pregnancy is rare. Diagnosis may be delayed and clinicians are faced with unique challenges when formulating management plans, having to consider the well-being of both fetus and mother. Cases Our series outlines five cases of metastatic colorectal cancer during pregnancy. There was one patient who presented in each of the first, second and third trimesters, whilst the remaining were post-partum. Diagnosis was difficult as the patients were either asymptomatic or their symptoms were misconstrued as features of pregnancy. Two patients received chemotherapy while pregnant but only one had a successful delivery. Survival of patients in this series ranged between 1 and 35 months from diagnosis. Conclusion Women with gestational colorectal cancer are often diagnosed at an advanced stage and have a poor prognosis.