Who can enter
- All children prenatally exposed to maternal cancer and cancer treatment, regardless the type of maternal cancer and treatment.
- Age: birth until 18 years.
Goal
The aim of this study is to gain a better understanding of the possible effects of prenatal exposure to cancer and cancer treatment on the offspring. This understanding will allow the development of clinical guidelines to make the treatment of pregnant women with a cancer diagnosis more targeted, and to reduce any possible effects on the child.
Background
Each year, approximately 200 pregnant women in the Netherlands are diagnosed with cancer. International research shows that treatment of these women during pregnancy is possible, with little or no adverse effects on the baby. In addition, there is increasing knowledge about possible harmful effects for the children in the long term.
In the Netherlands, all children who have been exposed to cancer (treatment) in utero (prenatally) are invited to the 'Cancer In Pregnancy (CIP)' clinic by a team led by prof. dr. Marry van den Heuvel-Eibrink. This is an outpatient expertise center, nationally centralized in the Princess Máxima Center since June 2018. As standard of care, all children undergo a number of routine follow-up examinations at set times from birth to 18 years of age (so-called longitudinal research). This consists of a medical consultation, neuromotor screening and (neuro)psychological screening. Additionally, an audiological and/or cardiological screening is performed, depending on the type of chemotherapy administered during pregnancy.
A team consisting of two pediatric oncologists, a neuropsychologist, a medical educationalist and a pediatric physiotherapist assesses the health and short-term and long-term development of the children. These professionals are also involved in the national Advisory group Cancer in Pregnancy, which can offer advice on the treatment of pregnant women with cancer.
In order to assess whether cancer (treatment) during pregnancy influences the child’s development, all results are registered and used anonymously (after informed consent) for the scientific CIP-study.
For this research, several countries are collaborating within the International Network on Cancer, Infertility and Pregnancy (INCIP) led by Prof. Frédéric Amant of UZ Leuven (Belgium). This unique collaboration has improved the knowledge in recent years about the possibilities of treatment during pregnancy and its effect on the outcomes for mother and child.
See also the STER(k) foundation for information on cancer during pregnancy and peer support (in Dutch).