"The Last Thing I Expected When I Was Expecting Was Breast Cancer" - Katherine Malmo

About one in 3,000 American women is diagnosed during what’s supposed to be a happy time. Here, three survivors share their tough decisions, hard-won recoveries – and beautiful babies miraculous starts. Treating breast cancer during pregnancy is a matter of weighing the mom’s well-being against the baby’s, which isn’t always easy, said Elisa Port, MD, FACS, associate professor of surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, chief of breast surgery, and co-director of the Dubin Breast Center at The Mount Sinai Hospital. “Each treatment for the mother has potential harm for the baby, and unless the cancer is diagnosed close to term, delaying treatment until pregnancy is completed has potential harm for the mother.” Surgery can lead to miscarriage when done early in pregnancy and early delivery when done later in pregnancy, chemo isn’t advisable during the first trimester, and radiation must wait until after delivery. The good news: “Most research shows that pregnant women with breast cancer fare as well as those who are not pregnant as long as treatment can be optimally delivered,” added Dr. Port.

- Elisa Port, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Chief, Breast Surgery, Co-Director, Dubin Breast Center, The Mount Sinai Hospital

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