Guidelines for Cancer Treatment during Pregnancy: Ethics-Related Content Evolution and Implications for Clinicians
(1) Background: Current scientific evidence suggests that most cancers, including breast cancer, can be treated during pregnancy without compromising maternal and fetal outcomes. This, however, raises questions regarding the ethical implications of clinical care. (2) Methods: Using a systematic lite...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/14/17/4325 |
| _version_ | 1797496003371204608 |
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| author | Alma Linkeviciute Rita Canario Fedro Alessandro Peccatori Kris Dierickx |
| author_facet | Alma Linkeviciute Rita Canario Fedro Alessandro Peccatori Kris Dierickx |
| author_sort | Alma Linkeviciute |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Background: Current scientific evidence suggests that most cancers, including breast cancer, can be treated during pregnancy without compromising maternal and fetal outcomes. This, however, raises questions regarding the ethical implications of clinical care. (2) Methods: Using a systematic literature search, 32 clinical practice guidelines for cancer treatment during pregnancy published between 2002 and 2021 were selected for analysis and 25 of them mentioned or made references to medical ethics when offering clinical management guidance for clinicians. (3) Results: Four bioethical themes were identified: respect for patient’s autonomy, balanced approach to maternal and fetal beneficence, protection of the vulnerable and justice in resource allocation. Most guidelines recommended informing the pregnant patient about available evidence-based treatment options, offering counselling and support in the process of decision making. The relational aspect of a pregnant patient’s autonomy was also recognized and endorsed in a significant number of available guidelines. (4) Conclusions: Recognition and support of a patient’s autonomy and its relational aspects should remain an integral part of future clinical practice guidelines. Nevertheless, a more structured approach is needed when addressing existing and potential ethical issues in clinical practice guidelines for cancer treatment during pregnancy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:57:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-10cadb6c81bf4a67b6fce7975aae0d40 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:57:30Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-10cadb6c81bf4a67b6fce7975aae0d402023-11-23T12:53:40ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942022-09-011417432510.3390/cancers14174325Guidelines for Cancer Treatment during Pregnancy: Ethics-Related Content Evolution and Implications for CliniciansAlma Linkeviciute0Rita Canario1Fedro Alessandro Peccatori2Kris Dierickx3Legal Tech Center, Mykolas Romeris University, LT-08303 Vilnius, LithuaniaCancer Metastasis, i3S-Institute for Research & Innovation in Health, R. Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, PortugalFertility and Procreation Unit, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, ItalyCentre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium(1) Background: Current scientific evidence suggests that most cancers, including breast cancer, can be treated during pregnancy without compromising maternal and fetal outcomes. This, however, raises questions regarding the ethical implications of clinical care. (2) Methods: Using a systematic literature search, 32 clinical practice guidelines for cancer treatment during pregnancy published between 2002 and 2021 were selected for analysis and 25 of them mentioned or made references to medical ethics when offering clinical management guidance for clinicians. (3) Results: Four bioethical themes were identified: respect for patient’s autonomy, balanced approach to maternal and fetal beneficence, protection of the vulnerable and justice in resource allocation. Most guidelines recommended informing the pregnant patient about available evidence-based treatment options, offering counselling and support in the process of decision making. The relational aspect of a pregnant patient’s autonomy was also recognized and endorsed in a significant number of available guidelines. (4) Conclusions: Recognition and support of a patient’s autonomy and its relational aspects should remain an integral part of future clinical practice guidelines. Nevertheless, a more structured approach is needed when addressing existing and potential ethical issues in clinical practice guidelines for cancer treatment during pregnancy.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/14/17/4325cancer treatment during pregnancyclinical practice guidelinesbiomedical ethics principlesoncologybreast cancer |
| spellingShingle | Alma Linkeviciute Rita Canario Fedro Alessandro Peccatori Kris Dierickx Guidelines for Cancer Treatment during Pregnancy: Ethics-Related Content Evolution and Implications for Clinicians Cancers cancer treatment during pregnancy clinical practice guidelines biomedical ethics principles oncology breast cancer |
| title | Guidelines for Cancer Treatment during Pregnancy: Ethics-Related Content Evolution and Implications for Clinicians |
| title_full | Guidelines for Cancer Treatment during Pregnancy: Ethics-Related Content Evolution and Implications for Clinicians |
| title_fullStr | Guidelines for Cancer Treatment during Pregnancy: Ethics-Related Content Evolution and Implications for Clinicians |
| title_full_unstemmed | Guidelines for Cancer Treatment during Pregnancy: Ethics-Related Content Evolution and Implications for Clinicians |
| title_short | Guidelines for Cancer Treatment during Pregnancy: Ethics-Related Content Evolution and Implications for Clinicians |
| title_sort | guidelines for cancer treatment during pregnancy ethics related content evolution and implications for clinicians |
| topic | cancer treatment during pregnancy clinical practice guidelines biomedical ethics principles oncology breast cancer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/14/17/4325 |
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