The Cancer and Pregnancy Registry
As you know, few physicians have treated more than 1 or 2 pregnant patients with cancer. The best way, therefore, to learn what treatments are safe in pregnancy, and to learn how these women do compared to non-pregnant women, is to collect the cases from women around the country into one larger series. By doing this, hopefully physicians with less experience in treating such patients can learn that terminating the pregnancy may not be the only choice in all cases. Patients too, can benefit from learning that there are other women who have been diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy, and that they are not alone.
Dr. Elyce Cardonick, an active member of the Hope for Two…The Pregnant with Cancer Network Board of Advisors, is collecting information on pregnancies complicated by cancer. Dr. Cardonick is available to work with your oncologist in deciding which tests and procedures can be performed, and when, during pregnancy to maximize the safety of the fetus while not compromising the chance of cure of the mother.
Chemotherapy has been given in pregnancy during the second and third trimester, after the fetal organs have all developed during the first trimester. Dr. Cardonick will work closely with your oncologist and obstetrician regarding the administration of chemotherapy during pregnancy, probably suggesting fetal ultrasounds during pregnancy or special studies at delivery and postpartum.Dr. Cardonick maintains a cancer and childbirth registry/data base of all pregnant women diagnosed with cancer and with each patient’s permission, reviews their cancer treatment and pregnancy outcomes. What is unique about this data base, The Cancer and Pregnancy Registry, is that the children are not only followed up until birth, but on an ongoing yearly basis. Pregnant women diagnosed with cancer find the registry helpful in learning how many other pregnant women were diagnosed and treated for the same cancer during pregnancy. Patient data is kept confidential. It is a valuable contribution to the oncological and obstetrical knowledge base for pregnant women with cancer. The data base is listed on the FDA website as a recognized pregnancy registry.
If you would be interested in contributing your information to the data base to advance the knowledge about cancer and pregnancy, please contact Dr. Cardonick directly. She can send you information and a consent form explaining the data base. (Again, all is kept confidential). Your health, and the health of your child, will be followed periodically.
You may reach Dr. Cardonick and find out the details about participating by visiting the The Cancer and Pregnancy Registry or by calling her at 1-877-635-4499 (toll free) or at 1-856.342.2065 (please note, this number has recently changed). A message may also be left on her private voicemail at 1-856-757-7876.
Dr. Cardonick is also available to offer guidance to women and/or their physicians. She can address medical questions pertaining to their specific cancer and pregnancy situation. For patients with a history of cancer who are considering starting or expanding their families, Dr. Cardonick also has a registry of the pregnancy outcomes of women with a history of cancer. Your involvement with any of these registries will contribute to valuable research.