Cancer patients can choose ultrasound while pregnant

Ultrasound provides a safe and accurate method of detecting breast cancer and assessing response to chemotherapy in pregnant women, according to a study in the April issue of Radiology.

Researchers enrolled 23 pregnant women diagnosed with 24 breast cancers who underwent mammography, ultrasound, or a combination of both modalities. They detected 90% of tumors in patients undergoing mammography but found all tumors in every woman who underwent an ultrasound exam. Ultrasound also found cancer metastases in 15 of 18 women undergoing a lymph node assessment.

The study includes the largest group of women to date diagnosed and treated for breast cancer during pregnancy. Data showed that, in addition to diagnosis, ultrasound can help stage cancer and evaluate treatment response, researchers said.