Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Gastrointestinal malignancies in pregnancy

  • Special Section: Cancer in Pregnancy
  • Published:
Abdominal Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Gastrointestinal malignancies, though uncommon in pregnancy, present several unique challenges with regards to diagnosis, staging, and treatment. Imaging the pregnant patient with a suspected or confirmed GI malignancy requires modifications to the radiologic modality of choice and protocol in order to minimize harm to the fetus, ensure accuracy in diagnosis and staging and guide treatment decisions. In this review article, we discuss the imaging approach to the pregnant patient with GI cancer, including safe radiologic modalities and modifications to imaging protocols. We also review the most common GI cancers encountered in pregnancy, including colorectal, pancreatic, gastric, and small bowel tumors, with emphasis to imaging findings, staging, and treatment considerations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

GI:

Gastrointestinal

US:

Ultrasound

FDG PET/CT:

Fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography

CRC:

Colorectal cancer

CEA:

Carcinogen embryonic antigen

DWI:

Diffusion-weighted imaging

PDAC:

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma

NET:

Neuroendocrine tumors

MCN:

Mucinous cystic neoplasms

SPN:

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms

PNET:

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

EUS:

Endoscopic ultrasound

ERCP:

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

FNA:

Fine needle aspiration

MRCP:

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography

HL:

Hodgkin’s lymphoma

NHL:

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

HAART:

Highly active antiretroviral therapy

MALT:

Lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue

H.Pylori:

Helicobacter pylori

GIST:

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor

EGD:

Esophagogastroduodenoscopy

SSFSE:

Single Shot Fast Spin Echo

IP-OOP:

In Phase and Opposed Phase

FS:

Fat Saturated

FSE:

Fast Spin Echo

SSFP:

Steady-state Free Procession

FOLFOX:

Fluorouracil, folinic acid, and oxaliplatin

FOLFIRI:

Fluorouracil, folinic acid, and irinotecan

FOLFOXIRI:

Fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan

FOLFIRINOX:

Folinic acid, fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan

CHOP:

Cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone

ABVD:

Doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine

PDGF:

Platelet-derived growth factor

References

  1. Pavlidis NA. Coexistence of pregnancy and malignancy. Oncologist 2002; 7:279-287

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Silverstein J, Post AL, Chien AJ, et al. Multidisciplinary Management of Cancer During Pregnancy. JCO Oncol Pract 2020; 16:545-557

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Cubillo A, Morales S, Goñi E, et al. Multidisciplinary consensus on cancer management during pregnancy. Clinical and Translational Oncology 2021; 23:1054-1066

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. ACR-SPR practice parameter for imaging pregnant or potentially pregnant adolescents and women with ionizing radiation. 2018;

  5. Ray JG, Vermeulen MJ, Bharatha A, Montanera WJ, Park AL. Association Between MRI Exposure During Pregnancy and Fetal and Childhood Outcomes. JAMA 2016; 316:952-961

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Wolters V, Heimovaara J, Maggen C, et al. Management of pregnancy in women with cancer. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2021; 31:314-322

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Jha P, Poder L, Glanc P, et al. Imaging Cancer in Pregnancy. Radiographics 2022:220005

  8. ACR Manual On Contrast Media. In, 2022

  9. Kal HB, Struikmans H. Radiotherapy during pregnancy: fact and fiction. Lancet Oncol 2005; 6:328-333

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Zanotti-Fregonara P, Laforest R, Wallis JW. Fetal Radiation Dose from 18F-FDG in Pregnant Patients Imaged with PET, PET/CT, and PET/MR. J Nucl Med 2015; 56:1218-1222

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Sachs HC, Drugs CO. The transfer of drugs and therapeutics into human breast milk: an update on selected topics. Pediatrics 2013; 132:e796-809

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Silverstein J, Van Loon K. Invited Commentary: Role of the Radiologist in Pregnancy-associated Cancer. Radiographics 2022:220163

  13. Peccatori FA, Azim HA, Jr., Orecchia R, et al. Cancer, pregnancy and fertility: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann Oncol 2013; 24 Suppl 6:vi160-170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines Version 1.2023. Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Oncology. In, 2023

  15. Hepner A, Negrini D, Hase EA, et al. Cancer During Pregnancy: The Oncologist Overview. World J Oncol 2019; 10:28-34

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Van Calsteren K, Heyns L, De Smet F, et al. Cancer during pregnancy: an analysis of 215 patients emphasizing the obstetrical and the neonatal outcomes. J Clin Oncol 2010; 28:683-689

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Yang H, Han X. Colorectal cancer in pregnancy: A case report and literature review. Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology 2021; 12:885-891

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Cottreau CM, Dashevsky I, Andrade SE, et al. Pregnancy-Associated Cancer: A U.S. Population-Based Study. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2019; 28:250-257

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Pellino G, Simillis C, Kontovounisios C, et al. Colorectal cancer diagnosed during pregnancy: systematic review and treatment pathways. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2017; 29:743-753

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Siegel RL, Miller KD, Goding Sauer A, et al. Colorectal cancer statistics, 2020. CA Cancer J Clin 2020; 70:145-164

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. McCormick A, Peterson E. Cancer in Pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am 2018; 45:187-200

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Rogers JE, Woodard TL, Gonzalez GM, et al. Colorectal cancer during pregnancy or postpartum: Case series and literature review. Obstet Med 2022; 15:118-124

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Samadder NJ, Smith KR, Wong J, Burt RW, Curtin K. Colorectal cancer in the setting of pregnancy and familial risk. Int J Colorectal Dis 2020; 35:1559-1566

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kocian P, de Haan J, Cardonick EH, et al. Management and outcome of colorectal cancer during pregnancy: report of 41 cases. Acta Chir Belg 2019; 119:166-175

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Albright CM, Wenstrom KD. Malignancies in pregnancy. Best Practice and Research: Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2016; 33:2-18

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Horvat N, Carlos Tavares Rocha C, Clemente Oliveira B, Petkovska I, Gollub MJ. MRI of Rectal Cancer: Tumor Staging, Imaging Techniques, and Management. Radiographics 2019; 39:367-387

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Morales Santana DA, Czigany Z, Meister FA, et al. Bowel Obstruction Due to Stenotic Sigmoid Colon Cancer in a 32-Year-Old Patient Presenting in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy: A Case Report of an Interval Surgical Approach. American Journal of Case Reports 2022; 23

  28. Shah AR, Landsman M, Sandhu D. A challenging case of ileo-cecal intussusception in pregnancy. American Journal of Gastroenterology 2019; 114:S1449-S1450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Goidescu IG, Nemeti G, Preda A, et al. Krukenberg tumor in pregnancy: a rare case and review of the literature. Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine 2021

  30. Taylor SA, Mallett S, Beare S, et al. Diagnostic accuracy of whole-body MRI versus standard imaging pathways for metastatic disease in newly diagnosed colorectal cancer: the prospective Streamline C trial. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019; 4:529-537

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Glynne-Jones R, Wyrwicz L, Tiret E, et al. Rectal cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann Oncol 2017; 28:iv22-iv40

  32. American College of Radiology ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Staging of Colorectal Cancer. In, 2021

  33. User’s Guide for the Synoptic MRI Report for Pre‐Operative Staging of Rectal Cancer. In, 2018

  34. Society of Abdominal Radiology Primary Rectal Cancer Staging Template - v.2021. In, 2021

  35. AlQattan AS, Alkuwaiti FA, Alghusnah ES, Bojal SA, Alqahtani MS. Challenges in the management of adenocarcinoma of ampulla of Vater in pregnancy: A case report and review of literature. Int J Surg Case Rep 2019; 61:38-43

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  36. Kakoza RM, Vollmer CM, Jr., Stuart KE, Takoudes T, Hanto DW. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma in the pregnant patient: a case report and literature review. J Gastrointest Surg 2009; 13:535-541

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Takacs CA, Krivak TC, Napolitano PG. Insulinoma in pregnancy: a case report and review of the literature. Obstet Gynecol Surv 2002; 57:229-235

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Kamphues CH, Röcken C, Neuhaus P, Neumann UP. Non-functioning, malignant pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour (PNET): a rare entity during pregnancy. Langenbecks Arch Surg 2009; 394:387-391

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Sciscione AC, Villeneuve JB, Pitt HA, Johnson TR. Surgery for pancreatic tumors during pregnancy: a case report and review of the literature. Am J Perinatol 1996; 13:21-25

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. van Huijgevoort NCM, Del Chiaro M, Wolfgang CL, van Hooft JE, Besselink MG. Diagnosis and management of pancreatic cystic neoplasms: current evidence and guidelines. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019; 16:676-689

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Kosumi K, Takamori H, Hashimoto D, et al. Mucinous cystic neoplasm of the pancreas activated during pregnancy. Surg Case Rep 2015; 1:13

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  42. Kato M, Kubota K, Kita J, et al. Huge mucinous cystadenoma of the pancreas developing during pregnancy: a case report. Pancreas 2005; 30:186-188

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Ozden S, Haliloglu B, Ilter E, Akin FT, Kebudi A, Peker O. An extremely rare cause of acute abdomen in pregnancy: ruptured pancreatic mucinous cystadenocarcinoma. Pancreas 2007; 34:474-476

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Tanacan A, Orgul G, Dogrul AB, Aktoz F, Abbasoglu O, Beksac MS. Management of a Pregnancy with a Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasm of the Pancreas. Case Rep Obstet Gynecol 2018; 2018:5832341

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  45. Miller FH, Lopes Vendrami C, Recht HS, et al. Pancreatic Cystic Lesions and Malignancy: Assessment, Guidelines, and the Field Defect. Radiographics 2022; 42:87-105

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Chhabra DM, Department of O, Gynaecology GGMC, Sir JJGoHM. Solid pseudopapillary epithelial neoplasm of pancreas in pregnancy: Case Report of a Rare Co-Occurrence. J med sci clin res 2017; 5

  47. Levy C, Pereira L, Dardarian T, Cardonick E. Solid pseudopapillary pancreatic tumor in pregnancy. A case report. J Reprod Med 2004; 49:61-64

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Yee AM, Kelly BG, Gonzalez-Velez JM, Nakakura EK. Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas head in a pregnant woman: safe pancreaticoduodenectomy postpartum. J Surg Case Rep 2015; 2015

  49. Huang S-C, Wu T-H, Chen C-C, Chen T-C. Spontaneous rupture of solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas during pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol 2013; 121:486-488

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Ercan Ş, Kaymaz Ö, Yücel N, Orçun A. Serum concentrations of CA 125, CA 15-3, CA 19-9 and CEA in normal pregnancy: a longitudinal study. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2012; 285:579-584

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Committee Opinion No. 723: Guidelines for Diagnostic Imaging During Pregnancy and Lactation. Obstet Gynecol 2017; 130:e210-e216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Gui B, Cambi F, Micco M, et al. MRI in pregnant patients with suspected abdominal and pelvic cancer: a practical guide for radiologists. Diagn Interv Radiol 2020; 26:183-192

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  53. Miller FH, Rini NJ, Keppke AL. MRI of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2006; 187:W365-374

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Lu DS, Vedantham S, Krasny RM, Kadell B, Berger WL, Reber HA. Two-phase helical CT for pancreatic tumors: pancreatic versus hepatic phase enhancement of tumor, pancreas, and vascular structures. Radiology 1996; 199:697-701

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Expert Panel on Gastrointestinal I, Qayyum A, Tamm EP, et al. ACR Appropriateness Criteria((R)) Staging of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. J Am Coll Radiol 2017; 14:S560-S569

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Khanna L, Prasad SR, Sunnapwar A, et al. Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: 2020 Update on Pathologic and Imaging Findings and Classification. Radiographics 2020; 40:1240-1262

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Yin Q, Wang M, Wang C, et al. Differentiation between benign and malignant solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas by MDCT. Eur J Radiol 2012; 81:3010-3018

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Azab M, Bharadwaj S, Jayaraj M, et al. Safety of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Saudi J Gastroenterol 2019; 25:341-354

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  59. Ofosu A, Ramai D, Sunkara T, Adler DG. The emerging role of non-radiation endoscopic management of biliary tract disorders. Ann Gastroenterol 2018; 31:561-565

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  60. Pietryga JA, Morgan DE. Imaging preoperatively for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. J Gastrointest Oncol 2015; 6:343-357

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  61. Pentheroudakis G, Pavlidis N. Cancer and pregnancy: poena magna, not anymore. Eur J Cancer 2006; 42:126-140

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Diamond C, Taylor TH, Aboumrad T, Anton-Culver H. Changes in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy: incidence, presentation, treatment, and survival. Cancer 2006; 106:128-135

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Cheung MC, Pantanowitz L, Dezube BJ. AIDS-related malignancies: emerging challenges in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Oncologist 2005; 10:412-426

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Weisz B, Meirow D, Schiff E, Lishner M. Impact and treatment of cancer during pregnancy. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2004; 4:889-902

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Cohen-Kerem R, Railton C, Oren D, Lishner M, Koren G. Pregnancy outcome following non-obstetric surgical intervention. Am J Surg 2005; 190:467-473

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Maggen C, van Gerwen M, Van Calsteren K, Vandenbroucke T, Amant F. Management of cancer during pregnancy and current evidence of obstetric, neonatal and pediatric outcome: a review article. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2019

  67. Maggen C, Lok CA, Cardonick E, et al. Gastric cancer during pregnancy: A report on 13 cases and review of the literature with focus on chemotherapy during pregnancy. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2020; 99:79-88

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  68. Kodama I, Takeda J, Koufuji K, Yano S, Hanzawa M, Shirouzu K. Gastric cancer during pregnancy. Kurume Med J 1997; 44:179-183

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. Sakamoto K, Kanda T, Ohashi M, et al. Management of patients with pregnancy-associated gastric cancer in Japan: a mini-review. Int J Clin Oncol 2009; 14:392-396

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Pacheco S, Norero E, Canales C, et al. The Rare and Challenging Presentation of Gastric Cancer during Pregnancy: A Report of Three Cases. J Gastric Cancer 2016; 16:271-276

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  71. Zarkavelis G, Petrakis D, Pavlidis N. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors during pregnancy: a systematic review of an uncommon but treatable malignancy. Clin Transl Oncol 2015; 17:757-762

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  72. Virmani V, Khandelwal A, Sethi V, Fraser-Hill M, Fasih N, Kielar A. Neoplastic stomach lesions and their mimickers: spectrum of imaging manifestations. Cancer Imaging 2012; 12:269-278

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  73. Dunkelberg JC, Barakat J, Deutsch J. Gastrointestinal, pancreatic, and hepatic cancer during pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am 2005; 32:641-660

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  74. Cappell MS. Colon cancer during pregnancy. Gastroenterol Clin North Am 2003; 32:341-383

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  75. Malangoni MA. Gastrointestinal surgery and pregnancy. Gastroenterol Clin North Am 2003; 32:181-200

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  76. Gensheimer M, Jones CA, Graves CR, Merchant NB, Lockhart AC. Administration of oxaliplatin to a pregnant woman with rectal cancer. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2009; 63:371-373

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  77. Jeppesen JB, Osterlind K. Successful twin pregnancy outcome after in utero exposure to FOLFOX for metastatic colon cancer: a case report and review of the literature. Clin Colorectal Cancer 2011; 10:348-352

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  78. Kozai L, Benavente K, Obeidat A, Acoba J. FOLFOXIRI in Pregnant Women with Colorectal Cancer: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. Case Reports in Oncology 2022; 15:447-454

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  79. Boyd CA, Benarroch-Gampel J, Kilic G, Kruse EJ, Weber SM, Riall TS. Pancreatic neoplasms in pregnancy: diagnosis, complications, and management. J Gastrointest Surg 2012; 16:1064-1071

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  80. Lubner S, Hall B, Gopal D, et al. A 37 year-old pregnant woman with pancreatic adeno-carcinoma treated with surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy: A case report and literature review. J Gastrointest Oncol 2011; 2:258-261

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  81. Azim HA, Azim H, Peccatori FA. Treatment of cancer during pregnancy with monoclonal antibodies: a real challenge. Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2010; 6:821-826

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  82. Azim HA, Peccatori FA, Pavlidis N. Treatment of the pregnant mother with cancer: a systematic review on the use of cytotoxic, endocrine, targeted agents and immunotherapy during pregnancy. Part I: Solid tumors. Cancer Treat Rev 2010; 36:101-109

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  83. Goel N, Malik R, Rathi B, et al. Pregnancy with metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) on imatinib chemotherapy: an oncologist's nightmare and obstetrician's dilemma. J Gastrointest Cancer 2013; 44:115-117

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melina Pectasides.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pectasides, M., Sekhar, A., Dighe, M.K. et al. Gastrointestinal malignancies in pregnancy. Abdom Radiol 48, 1709–1723 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-022-03788-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-022-03788-8

Keywords

Navigation