Abstract
The peak incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) coincides with reproductive years, and as many as 3 % of all HL patients present with concurrent pregnancy. The management of a pregnant patient with HL requires a multidisciplinary approach combining expertise in medical oncology, high-risk obstetrics, and neonatology, as well as effective communication with the patient and her family. The goal is to optimize the mother’s chance of a cure while allowing for delivery of a healthy child. A pregnant patient with HL should be staged by clinical examination and judicious use of non-radiation imaging such as ultrasound, balancing the need for accurate disease assessment with the need to minimize invasive procedures. The treatment strategy is individualized to the symptoms, lymphoma stage, gestational age and the patients’ wishes. Therapeutic options include treatment deferral or single-agent vinblastine with reservation of multi-agent chemotherapy until the second or third trimester for the small minority of patients with aggressive clinical presentation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance
Smith LH, Danielsen B, Allen ME, Cress R. Cancer associated with obstetric delivery: results of linkage with the California cancer registry. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2003;189:1128–35.
Connors JM. Clinical manifestations and natural history of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Cancer J. 2009;15:124–8.
Connors JM. Challenging problems: coincident pregnancy, HIV infection, and older age. Hematol Am Soc Hematol Educ Program. 2008;334–9.
Bachanova V, Connors JM. How is Hodgkin lymphoma in pregnancy best treated? ASH evidence-based review 2008. Hematol Am Soc Hematol Educ Program. 2008;33–4.
• Zanotti-Fregonara P, Jan S, Taieb D, et al. Absorbed 18F-FDG dose to the fetus during early pregnancy. J Nucl Med. 2010;51:803–5. Impact of PET/CT imaging on pregnancy.
O'Connor SJ, Verma H, Grubnic S, Rayner CF. Chest radiographs in pregnancy. BMJ. 2009;339:b4057.
Nicklas AH, Baker ME. Imaging strategies in the pregnant cancer patient. Semin Oncol. 2000;27:623–32.
Lishner M, Zemlickis D, Degendorfer P, et al. Maternal and foetal outcome following Hodgkin’s disease in pregnancy. Br J Cancer. 1992;65:114–7.
Gobbi PG, Attardo-Parrinello A, Danesino M, Motta C, Di Prisco AU, Rizzo SC, et al. Hodgkin’s disease and pregnancy. Haematologica. 1984;69:336–41.
Nisce LZ, Tome MA, He S, et al. Management of coexisting Hodgkin’s disease and pregnancy. Am J Clin Oncol. 1986;9:146–51.
Jacobs C, Donaldson SS, Rosenberg SA, Kaplan HS. Management of the pregnant patient with Hodgkin’s disease. Ann Intern Med. 1981;95:669–75.
Barry RM, Diamond HD, Craver LF. Influence of pregnancy on the course of Hodgkin’s disease. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1962;84:445–54.
Aviles A, Diaz-Maqueo JC, Talavera A, et al. Growth and development of children of mothers treated with chemotherapy during pregnancy: current status of 43 children. Am J Hematol. 1991;36:243–8.
Canada AL, Schover LR. The psychosocial impact of interrupted childbearing in long-term female cancer survivors. Psychooncology. 2012;21:134–43.
Gelb AB, van de Rijn M, Warnke RA, Kamel OW. Pregnancy-associated lymphomas. A clinicopathologic study. Cancer. 1996;78:304–10.
Thomas PR, Biochem D, Peckham MJ. The investigation and management of Hodgkin’s disease in the pregnant patient. Cancer. 1976;38:1443–51.
Byram D, Foulstone P. Radiotherapy for Hodgkin’s disease in pregnancy. Australas Radiol. 1997;41:407–8.
Anselmo AP, Cavalieri E, Enrici RM, et al. Hodgkin’s disease during pregnancy: diagnostic and therapeutic management. Fetal Diagn Ther. 1999;14:102–5.
Mazonakis M, Lyraraki E, Varveris C, et al. Conceptus dose from involved-field radiotherapy for Hodgkin’s lymphoma on a linear accelerator equipped with MLCs. Strahlenther Onkol. 2009;185:355–63.
Friedman E, Jones GW. Fetal outcome after maternal radiation treatment of supradiaphragmatic Hodgkin’s disease. CMAJ. 1993;149:1281–3.
Latourette HB. Induction of lymphoma and leukemia by diagnostic and therapeutic irradiation. Radiol Clin N Am. 1968;6:57–61.
Ng AK, Bernardo MV, Weller E, et al. Second malignancy after Hodgkin disease treated with radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy: long-term risks and risk factors. Blood. 2002;100:1989–96.
Ebert U, Loffler H, Kirch W. Cytotoxic therapy and pregnancy. Pharmacol Ther. 1997;74:207–20.
Tawil E, Mercier JP, Dandavino A. Hodgkin’s disease complicating pregnancy. J Can Assoc Radiol. 1985;36:133–7.
Rosenzweig AI, Crews Jr QE, Hopwood HG. Vinblastine sulfate in Hodgkin’s disease in pregnancy. Ann Intern Med. 1964;61:108–12.
Lacher MJ, Geller W. Cyclophosphamide and vinblastine sulfate in Hodgkin’s disease during pregnancy. JAMA. 1966;195:486–8.
Dilek I, Topcu N, Demir C, et al. Hematological malignancy and pregnancy: a single-institution experience of 21 cases. Clin Lab Haematol. 2006;28:170–6.
Cardonick E, Iacobucci A. Use of chemotherapy during human pregnancy. Lancet Oncol. 2004;5:283–91.
Fanale MA, Lai C-M, Rimes SA, et al. Positive maternal-fetal outcomes with treatment of lymphoma during pregnancy: UT MD Anderson Cancer Prospective Experience. Presented at Annual American Society of Hematology meeting. Salt Lake City, USA, December 8–12, 2012
• Anatolian Group AMOS, Ustaalioglu BB, Gumus M, et al. Malignancies diagnosed during pregnancy and treated with chemotherapy or other modalities (review of 27 cases): multicenter experiences. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2011;20:698–703. Multicenter case series of recent date.
•• Van Calsteren K, Heyns L, De Smet F, et al. Cancer during pregnancy: an analysis of 215 patients emphasizing the obstetrical and the neonatal outcomes. J Clin Oncol. 2010;28:683–9. The paper presents neonatal and obstetrics outcomes of patients with invasive cancer diagnosed during pregnancy collected of over 20 years in international collaborative setting.
Klepfish A, Schattner A, Shtalrid M, et al. Advanced Hodgkin’s disease in a pregnant HIV seropositive woman: favorable mother and baby outcome following combined anticancer and antiretroviral therapy. Am J Hematol. 2000;63:57–8.
Okechukwu CN, Ross J. Hodgkin’s lymphoma in a pregnant patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 1998;10:410–1.
Armstrong JG, Dyke RW, Fouts PJ. Vinblastine sulfate treatment of Hodgkin’s disease during a pregnancy. Science. 1964;143:703.
Dildy 3rd GA, Moise Jr KJ, Carpenter Jr RJ, Klima T. Maternal malignancy metastatic to the products of conception: a review. Obstet Gynecol Surv. 1989;44:535–40.
• Amant F, Van Calsteren K, Halaska MJ, et al. Long-term cognitive and cardiac outcomes after prenatal exposure to chemotherapy in children aged 18 months or older: an observational study. Lancet Oncol. 2012;13:256–64. This paper present the multicenter observational cohort study recording the general health, cardiac function, and neurodevelopmental outcomes of children who were prenatally exposed to chemotherapy.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bachanova, V., Connors, J.M. Hodgkin Lymphoma in Pregnancy. Curr Hematol Malig Rep 8, 211–217 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11899-013-0163-4
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11899-013-0163-4