A cancer diagnosis can come at any time in life, including during or shortly after pregnancy. While it isn’t necessarily common – only about 1 in 1,000 pregnant women will experience this – it presents challenges that differ from cancer diagnoses at other times. One of those difficulties is symptoms being attributed to the pregnancy. A new study finds this can often happen.

New research published in the British Journal of General Practice involved interviews with 20 women who had been diagnosed with cancer over the prior four years, either during or shortly after pregnancy. They were recruited in early 2022. The team wanted to hear the patients’ experiences with symptom appraisal, their decision to seek help, and receiving their diagnosis.

According to the study, those who had found breast lumps were apt to suspect cancer and seek help quickly, and they were typically referred promptly for further tests. However, those with more vague symptoms – like abdominal pain – often had delays in referral for tests and diagnosis, regardless of seeking prompt help. 

Dr. Afrodita Marcu, research fellow at the University of Surrey and the study’s first author, says, “Our research highlights the critical need for healthcare professionals to thoroughly assess pregnant women presenting with concerning symptoms, and to refer them for appropriate tests when these symptoms persist. By carefully considering all possibilities and avoiding the immediate assumption that symptoms are solely pregnancy-related, we can ensure women receive timely diagnoses and access appropriate treatment.” 

According to the American Cancer Society, thousands of pregnant women experience cancer in the United States each year. The most common forms include breast, cervical, thyroid, colon, and ovarian cancers, along with melanoma, lymphoma, and leukemia. The ACS also says it can be tricky to get a diagnosis during pregnancy because hormone changes can impact the breasts, hemorrhoids can cause bleeding from the rectum, ovarian tumors can be hard to detect with fetus and uterus growth, and fatigue that could be linked with blood cancers is also a common pregnancy side effect.