Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer-related death in the USA. However, the antepartum diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma in the pregnant patient is exceedingly rare, with only six cases previously reported in the literature. Optimizing both maternal and fetal health outcomes is particularly challenging when surgical procedures are necessary for staging and/or therapeutic purposes—as these interventions often pose significant risks to both the mother and the developing fetus. In this article, we report a case of pancreatic adenocarcinoma diagnosed during pregnancy and review the literature on the management issues confronted in this unique clinical situation.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Dr. Sigall Bell and the Principal Clinical Experience Writing Program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) for guidance and support in the preparation of this manuscript, Dr. Matthew Turner for providing the pathology images, Dr. Deborah Levine for assistance with review of radiologic images, and the Carl J. Shapiro Institute of Medical Education and Research at BIDMC for support of the Principal Clinical Experience.
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Kakoza, R.M., Vollmer Jr., C.M., Stuart, K.E. et al. Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma in the Pregnant Patient: A Case Report and Literature Review. J Gastrointest Surg 13, 535–541 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11605-008-0697-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11605-008-0697-2