Curative effect of second curettage for treatment of gestational trophoblastic disease - Results of the Belgian registry for gestational trophoblastic disease

Second curettage versus conventional chemotherapy in avoiding unnecessary chemotherapy and reducing the number of chemotherapy courses for patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy is the recommended treatment for gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). Second curettage had been advocated to avoid unnecessary chemotherapy and to reduce the courses of chemotherapy; however, consensus has not been reached as there are arguments claiming its inability of inducing complete regression.

OBJECTIVES

The present study was performed to clarify the effectiveness of second curettage for avoiding unnecessary chemotherapy and lowering the number of chemotherapy courses in patients with post-molar GTN.

SEARCH STRATEGY

Seven predominant electronic databases were searched, including four English databases and three Chinese databases, from the inception of each database until January 31, 2023.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Studies were included if they were: (1) human, (2) explicitly indicated exposure to second curettage, (3) explicitly indicated control to conventional chemotherapy, (4) explicitly indicated the participants were patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN), and (5) compared the outcome of interest as the number of the course of chemotherapy.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors extracted and analyzed the data independently. Disagreements were reconciled by reviewing the full text by a third author. The data of study location, data collection, study design, number of participants, intervention strategy, control strategy, the follow-up period, outcome, adverse events were analyzed.

MAIN RESULTS

With regard to avoiding unnecessary chemotherapy, the overall pooled effect size of the second curettage group had a significant advantage over the conventional chemotherapy group with an OR of 0.02 (95% CI: 0.00-0.06). Meanwhile, for reducing the number of chemotherapy courses, the overall pooled effect size of the second curettage group had significant advantage over the conventional chemotherapy group with a mean difference of -2.11 (95% CI: -3.72 to -0.51).

CONCLUSION

The second curettage group had a significant advantage over the conventional chemotherapy group in avoiding unnecessary chemotherapy and reducing the number of chemotherapy courses. Further larger multi-center randomized controlled trials should be conducted to confirm our results and to clarify the optimal patients' group for second curettage in patients with post-molar GTN.

Surgical Management of Gestational Trophoblastic Disease

BACKGROUND

Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a rare pregnancy-related condition consisting of premalignant and malignant forms arising from proliferation of trophoblastic cells. The malignant forms are collectively referred to as gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) and are highly sensitive to chemotherapy. However, surgical procedures remain indispensable in the diagnosis and treatment of GTD.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this review was to summarize surgical interventions in the treatment of GTD and GTN. We reviewed indications, efficacy, possible complications, and oncological outcomes of surgery.

METHODS

Three searches were performed in the databases of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to create an up-to-date overview of existing literature on the following subjects: (1) the role of primary hysterectomy in GTD and GTN; (2) the role of second curettage in GTD and GTN; (3) fertility sparing surgery in GTN; (4) surgical management of metastases. Included articles originated from the time period 1952-2022. Articles written in English, Spanish, and French were included.

OUTCOMES

Thirty-eight articles were found and selected. Surgical evacuation through suction curettage is most used and advised in the treatment of GTD. A second curettage could be beneficial in patients with low hCG levels and low FIGO scores. In women who have completed their families, primary hysterectomy might be considered as the risk of subsequent GTN is lower than after suction curettage. In case of the rare forms of GTN (epithelioid trophoblastic tumor or placental site trophoblastic tumor) surgical tumor resection remains the most important step in treatment. Data on fertility sparing surgery in GTN are scarce and this treatment should be considered experimental.

CONCLUSION AND OUTLOOK

Surgery remains an important part of treatment of GTD and is sometimes indispensable to achieve curation. Further collection of evidence is needed to determine treatment steps.

Importance of pathological review of gestational trophoblastic diseases: results of the Belgian Gestational Trophoblastic Diseases Registry

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the added value of a centralized pathology review of the diagnoses of gestational trophoblastic diseases by expert pathologists and its potential impact on clinical management in a prospective multicenter study based on the Belgian Gestational Trophoblastic Diseases Registry.

METHODS

From July 2012 to December 2020, the two referral centers of the registry were solicited to advise on 1119 cases. Referral pathologists systematically reviewed all of the initial histological diagnoses. Cases initially assessed by expert pathologists were excluded. A total of 867 files were eligible for the study. Concordance between diagnoses of gestational trophoblastic diseases made by general 'non-expert' and expert pathologists was analyzed together with the potential impact of the alterations on clinical management. Expert pathologists were working in an academic setting with high exposure to placental pathology and national recognition.

RESULTS

The rate of discordance between expert and non-expert pathologists for the initial diagnoses was 35%. Almost 95% of complete moles were confirmed by the expert pathologists, but only 61% for partial moles. Compared with previous studies, ancillary techniques (p57 immunohistochemistry, karyotype) were used twice as often by both groups of pathologists in this survey. The diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia was altered in 42% of cases. When the initial diagnosis was altered, the clinical relevance of this correction was estimated as down staging, up staging, or not relevant in 65%, 33% and 2% of cases respectively.

CONCLUSION

Systematic centralized pathological review of gestational trophoblastic diseases modified the diagnosis in a third of cases. The results also show that a change in diagnosis would impact clinical management in 98% of patients.