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Gestational Trophoblastic Disease

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Principles of Critical Care in Obstetrics

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Abstract

Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a spectrum of abnormal trophoblastic hyperplasia resulting from abnormal conception; there is imbalance in the genetic input from the ovum and sperm. The genetic makeup in complete hydatidiform mole (CHM) and partial hydatidiform mole (PHM) is different. In both types of mole, there is an excess of paternal chromosomes resulting in rapidly multiplying trophoblastic cells of both the cytotrophoblastic and the syncytiotrophoblastic layers, which is capable of producing excess of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) with potential to progress to gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia can also develop from previously normal trophoblasts as in cases of choriocarcinoma and placental site trophoblastic tumor (PSTT) following term delivery and abortion. All types of GTN, irrespective of their genetic origin, share the feature of producing high level of hCG. Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia is one of the most chemosensitive and highly curable cancers, even in the presence of widespread metastatic disease, and in most cases with preservation of fertility. GTD is unique because the maternal lesions arise from the fetal tissue.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical College, Calicut, India

    P. K. Sekharan MD

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  1. P. K. Sekharan MD
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Correspondence to P. K. Sekharan MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Arihant Women’s Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

    Alpesh Gandhi

  2. Rainbow Healthcare, Agra, India

    Narendra Malhotra

  3. Art Rainbow-IVF, Agra, India

    Jaideep Malhotra

  4. Obstetrics and Gynecology, SN Medical College, Agra, India

    Nidhi Gupta

  5. Bharti Vidya Peethmedical College, Pune, India

    Neharika Malhotra Bora

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Sekharan, P.K. (2016). Gestational Trophoblastic Disease. In: Gandhi, A., Malhotra, N., Malhotra, J., Gupta, N., Bora, N. (eds) Principles of Critical Care in Obstetrics. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2686-4_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2686-4_21

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