Breast Cancer and Pregnancy: Epidemiology, Phenotypes, Presentation during Pregnancy, and Therapeutic Approaches

Breast cancer (BC) represents the most frequent cancer worldwide, with almost 2.26 million new diagnoses recorded in 2020, and is the most common malignant neoplasia diagnosed during pregnancy. Pregnancy-related Breast Cancer (PrBC), indeed, is diagnosed in 1 in 2000–4000 pregnant women every year in Europe. PrBC is frequently characterized by unfavorable biological marks that, along with the late diagnosis, the limited imaging applicable, and the often-suboptimal treatments necessary to protect the fetus, could possibly lead to a worse prognosis in this population of patients. Babies born from mothers treated for cancer during pregnancy have been followed during a long-term follow-up and have showed cognitive and physical functions not different from the general population, but more studies are needed. Taking into consideration the complexity of the disease, a multidisciplinary approach is crucial to define the best therapeutical path