Melanoma and pregnancy

Several studies confirm that about 1/3 of the most serious cases of melanoma of women are diagnosed in women during their childbearing years, because melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old, more women could be faced with developing melanoma during pregnancy.

Scientists believed that pregnant melanoma could spread more rapidly in pregnant women, but there is no definite evidence to suggest that pregnancy following a diagnosis of melanoma changes prognosis,. Prognosis depends primarily on how deep the melanoma extends into the skin and on the stage in which the melanoma is removed, and then a woman with a very thin melanoma at low risk of spread, however, may not need to wait. It is important that biopsies of atypical moles can be performed during pregnancy and should not be delayed, suspicious lesions are surgically removed without waiting for the childbirth. If a melanoma is diagnosed during pregnancy is necessary a wide excision around the melanoma site (monitoring fetal heart activity) and the  sentinel lymphnode biopsy can be performed safely during pregnancy  (better to use the radiative material because the blue dye can cause potentially dangerous allergic reaction that could be harmful to the baby) . Treatments for advanced melanoma in a pregnant patient often have adverse consequences for the baby. Transmission to the fetus is a rare event and can occur in pregnant women with metastatic melanoma. With regard to oral contraception or hormone replacement does not appear to be any increased risk of developing melanoma

Melanoma and pregnancy