is it safe to breastfeed if you have carcinoid cancer?

[cdmommie]

If someone has malignant carcinoid cancer and is treated only by surgeries to remove tumors, can she breastfeed? And if she had breastfed for 18 months while unknowingly living with cancer, is the child at risk? Anyone know anything about this? Thanks.

[2boyzmama]

Well, cancer is not "contagious", so in that respect, yes it's safe to breastfeed no matter what type of cancer you have.

The only issue would be side effects of treatments. Chemo and radiation are big no-nos for breastfeeding. But since this mom isn't using any treatments, then it's safe! There might be some medications that are temporarily contraindicated for breastfeeding post-surgery, the mom needs to speak with a lactation consultant or look up each med in the book Medications in Mothers Milk by Dr Hale. There is almost always a substitute med that is safer for breastfeeding, and at the worst the mom just needs to pump and dump for several hours post-op.

[cdmommie]

Thanks so much!