The Other Side of the Coin: Facing Breast Cancer While Hoping to be a Mother

Abstract

Among women, the tendency to postpone the age of having children increases the risk of breast cancer in pregnancy. Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer type that occurs in pregnancy. Therefore, early diagnosis is very important during pregnancy. To assess the treatment options after the diagnosis of cancer, it is necessary to know the expected date of birth. The treatment decision varies depending on the risk tolerance of both the patient and her fetus, stage of the disease, diagnosis stage, pregnancy, and the status of the tumor. In adequate data related to the diagnosis and treatment options of the breast cancer in Turkish nursing literature formed the basis of this review. While this article is written to increase awareness of the breast cancer occurring during the pregnancy, to provide information about the treatment methods and nursing interventions, and it also provides information about the risk factors of breast cancer occurring during pregnancy, its diagnosis, treatment, breast-feeding, and the effects of cancer on the psychology of women and her family, and the means of prevention and nursing interventions as well.

Keywords

• breast cancer
• pregnancy
• nursing