Razi Journal of Medical Sciences

Carcinoma of the breast may occur or diagnosed during pregnancy and lactation. Diagnosis is often delayed, and women usually present with far advanced stage of the disease, which accounts for poor overall prognosis.

Primary care physicians, specially obstetrician and gynecologists playa pivotal role in the diagnosis of breast cancer during pregnancy and lactation.

It is specially important that a careful breast examination be performed at the initial obstetric visit before the breast become engorged and difficult to examine carefully.

Treatment is similar to that for nonpregnant patients except that radiation and chemotherapy is not recommended at any stage of pregnancy.