Cure Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma International (iCureASPS)

Lingual AlveolarAn Unusual Case of Soft Part Sarcoma During Pregnancy

Omer L. Tapisiz'Correspondence information about the author Omer L. TapisizEmail the author Omer L. Tapisiz, Tayfun Gungor, Emin Ustunyurt, Bulent Ozdal, Umit Bilge, Leyla Mollamahmutoglu
Zekai Tahir Burak Womens’ Health Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey



SUMMARY
Objective: We report a case of alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) of the tongue that presented in the third
trimester of pregnancy.
Case Report: An 18-year-old, gravida 1, para 0, woman with ASPS of the tongue in the 31st week of pregnancy
was described. Approximately 4 months after her first diagnosis, she was referred to our clinic for the delivery
of her baby and additional treatment. At 32 weeks of gestation, a healthy male infant weighing 2,220 g was
delivered by cesarean section. After an uneventful postoperative course, she was referred to the department of
otorhinolaryngology and maxillofacial surgery for further investigation and treatment.
Conclusion: ASPS of the tongue presenting in pregnancy is an extremely rare combination, and to our knowledge,
this is the first reported case in the English literature. The diagnostic and therapeutic management of the pregnant
patient with cancer, like ASPS, is especially difficult, because it involves both the mother and fetus. [Taiwan J Obstet
Gynecol 2008;47(2):212–214]
Key Words: alveolar soft part sarcoma, cancer, pregnancy, tongue


http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 2ffb&ccp=y

"The physiologic changes of pregnancy are all potentially
capable of promoting neoplastic growth. The major
reason for suspecting that pregnancy adversely affects
the clinical course of cancer is the immunologic tolerance
that characterizes both conditions. The immune
system is suppressed during the first 20 weeks of gestation,
which in some way predisposes the subject to
malignancy, modifies the biologic behavior of the neoplasm,
and adversely affects the clinical course of the
malignancy [9]. It has been shown that high levels
of estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy may
stimulate latent breast carcinoma to an active state
[10]. However, these hormonal receptors are generally
not found in head and neck tissues, as was the case in
our patient, but the rapid progression of the disease
in our case may be explained by the abovementioned
pregnancy-related physiologic changes. In summary,
humoral factors might act through progesterone and
estrogen receptors, and the immunotolerance characteristic
of pregnancy might also contribute to tumor
progression."

I've been reading that estrogen and progesterone receptors have been linked to the chemosistance tendency of breast cancer.

Asps is also chemoresitant