[Gastric neoplasia in pregnancy: report of a case].

CASE REPORT: Gastric cancer in a 29 years old pregnant woman. A total of 109 cases were collected in the whole from 1916 to 1988; to these, we add one new case of a 29 years old pregnant woman observed in 1993 in Verona University Surgical Sciences Department.

DISCUSSION: Cancer of the digestive tract during pregnancy is really rare and has poor prognosis. The diagnosis during pregnancy is difficult because the symptoms are frequently masked by factors related to the normal first trimester in pregnancy. X-ray are often restricted. Gastroendoscopy is applied to pregnant women only when evident symptoms are present such as: severe anemia, jaundice and weight loss. The incidence of inoperable cases is elevated such as the mortality in the operated cases. The whole survival rate after three years is 21%.

CONCLUSION

Gastric cancer in pregnancy has a poor prognosis. The possible reasons are: delayed detection, low differentiation degree, restricted therapeutic approach because of pregnancy, personal factors as the patients' desire for a child, religious, ethical considerations.