Abstract
Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) includes invasive mole, choriocarcinoma, and placental site trophoblastic tumors. The overall cure rate in treating these tumors currently exceeds 90%. Thorough evaluation and staging allow selection of appropriate therapy that maximizes chances for cure while minimizing toxicity. Nonmetastatic (stage I) and low-risk metastatic (stages II and III, World Health Organization [WHO] score < 7) GTN can be treated with single-agent chemotherapy, resulting in a survival rate approaching 100%. High-risk metastatic GTN (stage IV, WHO score ≥ 7) requires initial multiagent chemotherapy with or without adjuvant radiation and surgery to achieve a survival rate of 80% to 90%.
Similar content being viewed by others
References and Recommended Reading
Lurain JR: Treatment of gestational trophoblastic tumors. Curr Treat Options Oncol 2002, 3:113–124.
Soper JT: Gestational trophoblastic disease. Obstet Gynecol 2006, 108:176–187.
Ngan S, Seckl MJ: Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia management: an update. Curr Opin Oncol 2007, 19:486–491.
Ngan HYS, Bender H, Benedet JL, et al.: Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia, FIGO staging and classification. Int J Gynecol Obstet 2003, 83:175–177.
Lurain JR: Pharmacotherapy of gestational trophoblastic disease. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2003, 4:1–13.
Kohorn EI: Dynamic staging and risk factor scoring for gestational trophoblastic disease. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2007, 17:1124–1130.
Lurain JR, Elfstrand EP: Single-agent methotrexate chemotherapy for the treatment of nonmetastatic gestational trophoblastic tumors. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1995, 172:574–579.
Berkowitz RS, Goldstein, Bernstein MR: Ten years experience with methotrexate and folinic acid as primary therapy for gestational trophoblastic disease. Gynecol Oncol 1986, 23:111–118.
Bagshawe KD, Dent J, Newlands ES, et al.: The role of low-dose methotrexate and folinic acid in gestational trophoblastic tumors. Br J Obstet Gynecol 1989, 96:795–802.
Wong LC, Choo YC, Ma HK: Methotrexate with citrovorum factor rescue in gestational trophoblastic disease. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1985, 152:59–62.
Berkowitz RS, Goldstein DP, Bernstein MR: Methotrexate infusion with folinic acid in primary therapy of nonmetastatic trophoblastic tumors. Gynecol Oncol 1996, 36:56–59.
Garrett AP, Garner EO, Goldstein DP, Berkowitz RS: Methotrexate infusion and folinic acid as primary therapy for nonmetastatic and low-risk metastatic gestational trophoblastic tumors. J Reprod Med 2002, 47:355–362.
Elit L, Covens A, Osborne R, et al.: High-dose methotrexate for gestational trophoblastic disease. Gynecol Oncol 1994, 54:282–287.
Wong LC, Ngan HYS, Cheng DKL, et al.: Methotrexate infusion in low-risk gestational trophoblastic disease. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000, 183:1579–1582.
Homesley HD, Blessing JA, Schlaerth J, et al.: Rapid escalation of weekly intramuscular methotrexate for nonmetastatic gestational trophoblastic disease. Obstet Gynecol 1988, 72:413–418.
Hoffman MS, Fiorica JV, Gleeson NC, et al.: A single institution experience with weekly intramuscular methotrexate for nonmetastatic gestational trophoblastic disease. Gynecol Oncol 1996, 60:292–294.
Petrilli ES, Morrow CP: Actinomycin D toxicity in the treatment of trophoblastic disease. A comparison of the 5-day course to a single-dose administration. Gynecol Oncol 1980, 9:18–22.
Kohorn EI: Decision making for chemotherapy administration in patients with low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. Int J Gynecol Oncol 1996, 6:279–285.
Abrao RA, deAndrade JM, Tiezzi DG, et al.: Treatment of low-risk gestational trophoblastic disease: comparison of single-agent methotrexate, dactinomycin and combination regimens. Gynecol Oncol 2008, 108:149–153.
Osborne R, Filiaci V, Schink J, et al.: A randomized phase III trial comparing weekly parenteral methotrexate and “pulsed” dactinomycin as primary management for low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. A Gynecologic Oncology Group study. Presented at the 39th Annual Meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, Tampa, FL, March 9, 2008 [abstract]. Gynecol Oncol 2008, 108:S2.
DuBeshter B, Berkowitz RS, Goldtsien DP: Management of low-risk gestational trophoblastic tumors. J Reprod Med 1991, 36:36–39.
Soper JT, Clarke-Pearson DL, Berchuk A, et al.: Five-day methotrexate for women with metastatic gestational trophoblastic disease. Gynecol Oncol 1994, 54:76–79.
Roberts JP, Lurain JR: Treatment of low-risk metastatic gestational trophoblastic tumors with single-agent chemotherapy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1996, 174:1917–1924.
Lurain JR, Brewer JI: Treatment of high-risk gestational trophoblastic disease with methotrexate, actinomycin D and cyclophosphamide chemotherapy. Obstet Gynecol 1985, 65:830–834.
Begent RHJ, Bagshawe KD: The management of high-risk choriocarcinoma. Semin Oncol 1982, 9:198–203.
Curry SL, Blessing JA, DiSaia PJ, et al.: A prospective randomized comparison of methotrexate, actinomycin D and chlorambucil (MAC) versus modified Bagshawe regimen in “poor prognosis” gestational trophoblastic disease. Obstet Gynecol 1989, 73:357–362.
Newlands ES, Bagshawe KD, Begent RJH, et al.: Results with EMA/CO (etoposide, methotrexate, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide, vincristine) regimen in high-risk gestational trophoblastic tumors (1979–1989). Br J Obstet Gynecol 1991, 98:550–557.
Bower M, Newlands ES, Holden L, et al.: EMA/CO for high-risk gestational trophoblastic disease. Results from a cohort of 272 patients. J Clin Oncol 1997, 15:2636–2643.
Kim SJ, Bae SN, Kim JH, et al.: Risk factors for the prediction of treatment failure in gestational trophoblastic tumors treated with EMA/CO regimen. Gynecol Oncol 1998, 71:247–253.
Escobar PF, Lurain JR, Singh DK, et al.: Treatment of high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia with etoposide, methotrexate, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide, and vincristine chemotherapy. Gynecol Oncol 2003, 91:552–557.
Turan T, Karacay O, Tulunay G, et al.: Results with EMA/CO (etoposide, methotrexate, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide, vincristine) chemotherapy in gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2006, 16:1432–1438.
Lu WG, Ye F, Shen YM, et al.: EMA-CO chemotherapy for high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: a clinical analysis of 54 patients. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2008, 18:357–362.
Lurain JR, Singh DK, Schink JC: Primary treatment of metastatic high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia with EMA-CO chemotherapy. J Reprod Med 2006, 51:767–772.
Soto-Wright V, Goldstein DP, Bernstein MR, et al.: The management of gestational trophoblastic tumors with etoposide, methotrexate and actinomycin D. Gynecol Oncol 1997, 64:156–159.
Matsui H, Suzuka K, Iitsuka Y, et al.: Combination chemotherapy with methotrexate, etoposide and actinomycin D for high-risk gestational trophoblastic tumors. Gynecol Oncol 2000, 78:28–31.
Small W Jr, Lurain JR, Shetty RM, et al.: Gestational trophoblastic disease metastatic to the brain. Radiology 1996, 200:277–280.
Yang J, Xiang Y, Wan X, Yang X: Recurrent gestational trophoblastic tumor: management and risk factors for recurrence. Gynecol Oncol 2006, 103:587–590.
Ngan HY, Tam KF, Lam KW, Chan KK: Relapsed gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: a 20-year experience. J Reprod Med 2006, 51:829–834.
Powles T, Savage PM, Stebbing J, et al.: A comparison of patients with relapsed and chemo-refractory gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. Br J Cancer 2007, 96:732–737.
Mao Y, Wau X, Lv W, Xie X: Relapsed or refractory gestational trophoblastic neoplasia treated with etoposide and cisplatin/etoposide, methotrexate, and actinomycin D (EP-EMA) regimen. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2007, 98:44–47.
Lurain JR, Nejad B: Secondary chemotherapy for high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. Gynecol Oncol 2005, 97:618–623.
Wang J, Short D, Sebire NJ, et al.: Salvage chemotherapy of relapsed or high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) with paclitaxel/cisplatin alternating with paclitaxel/etoposide (TP/TE). Ann Oncol 2008 May 2 (Epub ahead of print).
Lurain JR, Singh DK, Schink JC: Role of surgery in the management of high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. J Reprod Med 2006, 51:773–776.
Lurain JR, Hoekstra AV, Schink JC: Results of treatment of patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia referral to the Brewer Trophoblastic Disease Center after failure of treatment elsewhere (1979–2006). J Reprod Med 2008, (in press).
Kohorn E: Regional centers for trophoblastic disease. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2007, 196:95–96.
Hoekstra AV, Lurain JR, Rademaker AW, Schink JC: Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: treatment outcomes. Obstet Gynecol 2008, 112:251–258.
Baergen RN, Rutgers JL, Young RH, et al.: Placental site trophoblastic tumor: a study of 55 cases and review of the literature emphasizing factors of prognostic significance. Gynecol Oncol 2006, 100:511–520.
Papadopoulos AJ, Foskett M, Seckl MJ, et al.: Twenty-five years’ clinical experience with placental site trophoblastic tumors. J Reprod Med 2002, 47:460–464.
Hassadia A, Gillespie A, Tidy J, et al.: Placental site trophoblastic tumor: clinical features and management. Gynecol Oncol 2005, 99:603–607.
Shih IM, Kurman RJ: Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor: a neoplasm distinct from choriocarcinoma and placental site trophoblastic tumor simulating carcinoma. Am J Surg Pathol 1998, 22:1393–1403.
Cole LA, Butler SA, Khanlian SA, et al.: Gestational trophoblastic diseases: 2. Hyperglycosylated hCG as a tumor marker of active neoplasia. Gynecol Oncol 2006, 102:151–159.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Morgan, J.M., Lurain, J.R. Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: an update. Curr Oncol Rep 10, 497–504 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-008-0075-y
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-008-0075-y