Preserving Pregnancy in Face of Cervical Cancer: Favorable Fetal and Maternal Outcomes – An Evidence Based Case Report
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25077/aoj.10.2.194-217.2026Keywords:
pregnancy, cervical cancer, favorable fetal, maternal outcomeAbstract
Background: Cervical cancer diagnosed during pregnancy poses a complex clinical and ethical dilemma, requiring a balance between timely maternal cancer treatment and fetal preservation. Recent studies show that pregnancy itself does not worsen long-term cancer outcomes, allowing for a more individualized approach especially in early-stage disease, where delaying treatment until fetal viability can be both safe and practical
Purpose: This evidence-based review aimed to summarize current evidence on the safety and outcomes of conservative management for early-stage cervical cancer during pregnancy
Methods: We explored journal databases (PubMed, Cochrane, and Google Scholar). We included meta-analyses, systematic reviews, or observational studies published in English
Results: We found three studies that fulfilled our inclusion criteria; they were two meta-analyses and one retrospective cohort study. Zuoxi et al concluded that there was no survival difference between the 2 groups (100% vs. 90.91%, P=0.54), and none of the pregnant women who died had delayed treatment due to pregnancy. Zeng et al, the primary outcome of interest is long-term survival, as pregnancy termination and timing of delivery did not significantly affect the 5-year OS (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: This evidence-based case report underscores the feasibility and clinical efficacy of a conservative, individualized management strategy for patients diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer during pregnancy, where a comprehensive understanding of current evidence empowers clinicians and patients to collaborate on treatment plan that addresses both maternal survival and fetal well-being.
References
1. Morice P, Uzan C, Gouy S, Verschraegen C, Haie-Meder C. Gynaecological cancers in pregnancy. Lancet [Internet]. 2012;379(9815):558–69. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60829-5
2. Bigelow CA, Horowitz NS, Goodman A, Growdon WB, Del Carmen M, Kaimal AJ. Management and outcome of cervical cancer diagnosed in pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2017;216(3):276.e1-276.e6.
3. Wahidin M, Febrianti R, Susanty F. Burden of cervical cancer in Indonesia: Findings from the global burden of disease study 1990–2017 [Internet]. Atlantis Press, 2020 [cited 2024 May 16]; p. 213–217.Available from: https://www.atlantis-press.com/procee.
4. Amant F, Berveiller P, Boere IA, Cardonick E, Fruscio R, Fumagalli M, et al. Gynecologic cancers in pregnancy: Guidelines based on a third international consensus meeting. Ann Oncol. 2019;30(10):1601–12.
5. Cibula D, Raspollini MR, Planchamp F, Centeno C, Chargari C, Felix A, et al. ESGO/ESTRO/ESP Guidelines for the management of patients with cervical cancer - Update 2023. Int J Gynecol Cancer [Internet]. 2023;33(5):649–66. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1136/ijgc-2023-004429
6. Sonoda K, Ohgami T, Hachisuga M, Fujita Y, Okugawa K, Yahata H, et al. Difficulty of cervical cancer diagnosis during pregnancy: A case series analysis of the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of cervical cancer diagnosed during pregnancy or within 6 months after parturition. Mol Clin Oncol. 2021;14(4):1–7.
7. Bernardini F, Ferrandina G, Ricci C, Fagotti A, Fanfani F, Cavaliere AF, et al. Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Pregnant Patients with Cervical Cancer: A Monocentric Retrospective Study. Curr Oncol. 2022;29(8):5702–14.
8. He Z, Xie C, Qi X, Hu Z, He Y. The effect of preserving pregnancy in cervical cancer diagnosed during pregnancy: a retrospective study. BMC Womens Health [Internet]. 2022;22(1):1–8. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-022-01885-w
9. Zeng S, Li X, Xiao S, Yang P, Lin C, Chen H, et al. Prognostic evaluation and treatment strategies for cervical cancer in pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Cancer. 2025;25(1).
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Rima Irwinda, Lisa Novianti, M Adya F Dilmy, Hariyono Winarto
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
