TEXTBOOK OF Cancer in Pregnancy

INCIP is a network established under the auspices of ESGO (European Society of Gynaecological Oncology) and aims to promote research on cancer in pregnancy. Currently, the network counts 109 members from 34 countries that cooperate together, and established an international registry on cancer during pregnancy and fertility preservation.

INCIP also studies the effects of various cancer therapies of both mother and a child. Since it is counterintuitive to administer drugs that are designed to kill rapidly dividing cells to pregnant women, core in this project is the documentation of health and development in the offspring. Our results however show that the children perform as well as other children of the same gender and age. Adverse effects are more likely to occur as a consequence of premature birth than of cancer treatment during pregnancy. Together with other studies, INCIP data show the potential to treat cancer during pregnancy. The reassuring data allow a shift of the paradigm that termination of pregnancy or a medically induced preterm delivery is mandatory. Instead, we now observe a clear trend towards fewer terminations of pregnancy, more cancer treatment during pregnancy. Also, children are less likely to be born preterm. In the years to come, INCIP aims to refine the conclusions and confirm them in longer-term studies. In addition, the maternal prognosis in these cases remains our focus. Our network provides also an opportunity to invest in the study for fertility-sparing cancer treatments.

We are glad to share our findings with you in this new Textbook Cancer in Pregnancy and hope that the information can be clinically useful for colleagues all over the world.