Gastrointestinale Neoplasien in der Schwangerschaft

The coincidence of pregnancy and gastrointestinal cancer is rare. Difficulties of diagnosis arise from the initial uncharacteristic symptoms. These are mostly ascribed to physiological changes of gestation and therefore lead to the diagnosis in advanced tumor stage. The decisive examination in the diagnostics of gastrointestinal carcinoma is the upper gastrointestinal endoscopy including locoregional staging by means of endoluminal ultrasound. The possibilities of small intestine diagnostics are considerably limited at the time of pregnancy. Also during gestation surgical treatment is in first place of gastrointestinal cancer therapy. Provided that it has curative character it is carried out according to the criteria of oncological surgery. The emergency situation should be avoided due to the better outcome of an elective operation. Primary objectives of palliative surgery are the restoration of the regular alimentary continuity and the relief of tumor-related symptoms. Because of its potential damage to the fetus chemotherapy as well as radiotherapy is of restricted usefulness. Till now, there is no case, which observed a transmission of a gastrointestinal cancer to the fetus.