Outcomes in the management of high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia in trophoblastic disease centers in South America

Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: does centralization of care impact clinical management?

OBJECTIVE

International societies advocate for gestational trophoblastic neoplasia referral to designated expert centers. This study assessed the impact of centralization of trophoblastic care on clinical outcomes.

METHODS

A centralized program was implemented in 2018 at two affiliated academic hospitals, Princess Margaret Cancer Center and Mount Sinai Hospital. A retrospective analysis of patients treated between 2000 and 2022 was performed and the clinical outcomes were compared before (2000-2017) and after (2018-2022) centralization. Statistical analyses were performed with significance set as p<0.05.

RESULTS

A total of 94 patients with trophoblastic neoplasia were included: 60 pre-centralization and 34 post-centralization, 79.8% low-risk and 18.1% high-risk. Centralization led to significant improvement for: (1) accurate score documentation (from 37.9% to 89.3%,); (2) contraception counseling (from 67.2% to 96.7%); (3) median time from diagnosis to chemotherapy (from 9 days to 1 day); and (4) incomplete follow-up (from 20.7% to 3.3%) (all p<0.05). First-line chemotherapy for low-risk neoplasia was dactinomycin in 47.9% and 87.0% pre- and post-centralization, respectively (p=0.005). The median number of chemotherapy cycles decreased from seven to four (p=0.01), and the median number of consolidation cycles increased from two to three (p<0.001). Serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels of 10 000-100 000 IU/L were significantly associated with longer time to hCG normalization and higher risk of resistance to first-line chemotherapy compared with hCG levels <1000 IU/L.

CONCLUSION

Centralization of trophoblastic neoplasia care leads to greater guideline compliance, faster chemotherapy initiation, fewer chemotherapy cycles with optimized consolidation, and enhanced surveillance completion. This supports the establishment of trophoblastic neoplasia expert centers.

Geographical Health District and Distance Traveled Influence on Clinical Status at Admission of Patients with Gestational Trophoblastic Disease

OBJECTIVE

 To assess the potential relationship of clinical status upon admission and distance traveled from geographical health district in women with gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD).

METHODS

 This is a cross-sectional study including women with GTD from the 17 health districts from the São Paulo state (I-XVII), Brazil, referred to the Botucatu Trophoblastic Disease Center (specialized center, district VI), between 1990 and 2018. At admission, hydatidiform mole was assessed according to the risk score system of Berkowitz et al. Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia was evaluated using the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics / World Health Organization (FIGO/WHO) staging/risk score. Data on demographics, clinical status and distance traveled were collected. Multiple regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

 This study included 366 women (335 hydatidiform mole, 31 gestational trophoblastic neoplasia). The clinical status at admission and distance traveled significantly differed between the specialized center district and other districts. Patients referred from health districts IX (β = 2.38 [0.87-3.88], p = 0.002) and XVI (β = 0.78 [0.02-1.55], p = 0.045) had higher hydatidiform mole scores than those from the specialized center district. Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia patients from district XVI showed a 3.32 increase in FIGO risk scores compared with those from the specialized center area (β = 3.32, 95% CI = 0.78-5.87, p = 0.010). Distance traveled by patients from districts IX (200km) and XVI (203.5km) was significantly longer than that traveled by patients from the specialized center district (76km).

CONCLUSION

 Patients from health districts outside the specialized center area had higher risk scores for both hydatidiform mole and gestational trophoblastic neoplasia at admission. Long distances (>80 km) seemed to adversely influence gestational trophoblastic disease clinical status at admission, indicating barriers to accessing specialized centers.

Efficacy analysis of single-agent carboplatin AUC4 2-weekly as second-line therapy for methotrexate-resistant (MTX-R) low risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN)

BACKGROUND

Approximately one-third of patients with low-risk Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia (WHO 0-6) develop methotrexate-resistance (MTX-R). In the UK, subsequent treatment with either actinomycin-D (ActD) or multi-agent combination chemotherapy has depended on whether the hCG was above or below an hCG threshold. To reduce exposure to combination chemotherapy (CC), over the years the UK service has raised this threshold as well as using single-agent carboplatin AUC6 3-weekly at MTX-R instead of CC. Updated results for carboplatin demonstrate an 86% complete hCG response (hCG CR) but associated with haematological dose-limiting toxicity.

METHODS

In 2017, single-agent carboplatin became the national standard second-line treatment following MTX-R at hCG of >3000 IU/L. Carboplatin was changed to two-weekly AUC4 scheduling and continued until normal hCG plus 3 consolidation cycles. For patients failing to respond, CC (Etoposide-Actinomycin-D or EMA-CO) was introduced.

RESULTS

22 evaluable patients with a median hCG at MTX-R of 10,147 IU/L (IQR 5527-19,639) received carboplatin AUC4 2-weekly (median no. of cycles = 6, IQR 2-8). Of these, 36% achieved a hCG CR. All 14 non-CR patients were cured with subsequent CC; 11 and 2 patients with 3rd line and 4th line CC respectively and 1 patient following 5th line CC and hysterectomy. Overall survival remains 100%.

CONCLUSION

Carboplatin is not sufficiently active in the second-line treatment of low-risk MTX-resistant GTN. New strategies are required to increase hCG CR and spare more toxic CC regimens.

Treatments and outcomes in high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

High-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) is rare and treated with diverse approaches. Limited published institutional data has yet to be systematically reviewed.

OBJECTIVES

To compile global high-risk GTN (prognostic score ≥7) cohorts to summarise treatments and outcomes by disease characteristics and primary chemotherapy.

SEARCH STRATEGY

MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov and Cochrane were searched through March 2021.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Full-text manuscripts reporting mortality among ≥10 high-risk GTN patients.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Binomial proportions were summed, and random-effects meta-analyses performed.

MAIN RESULTS

From 1137 records, we included 35 studies, representing 20 countries. Among 2276 unique high-risk GTN patients, 99.7% received chemotherapy, 35.8% surgery and 4.9% radiation. Mortality was 10.9% (243/2236; meta-analysis: 10%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 7-12%) and likelihood of complete response to primary chemotherapy was 79.7% (1506/1890; meta-analysis: 78%, 95% CI: 74-83%). Across 24 reporting studies, modern preferred chemotherapy (EMA/CO or EMA/EP) was associated with lower mortality (overall: 8.8 versus 9.5%; comparative meta-analysis: 8.1 versus 12.4%, OR 0.42, 95% CI: 0.20-0.90%, 14 studies) and higher likelihood of complete response (overall: 76.6 versus 72.8%; comparative meta-analysis: 75.9 versus 60.7%, OR 2.98, 95% CI: 1.06-8.35%, 14 studies), though studies focused on non-preferred regimens reported comparable outcomes. Mortality was increased for ultra-high-risk disease (30 versus 7.5% high-risk; meta-analysis OR 7.44, 95% CI: 4.29-12.9%) and disease following term delivery (20.8 versus 7.3% following molar pregnancy; meta-analysis OR 2.64, 95% CI: 1.10-6.31%). Relapse rate estimates ranged from 3 to 6%.

CONCLUSIONS

High-risk GTN is responsive to several chemotherapy regimens, with EMA/CO or EMA/EP associated with improved outcomes. Mortality is increased in patients with ultra-high-risk, relapsed and post-term pregnancy disease.

Current chemotherapeutic options for the treatment of gestational trophoblastic disease

INTRODUCTION

Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) is a rare tumor that arises from trophoblastic tissues with high remission rates after chemotherapy treatment. GTN can develop from any gestational events, such as miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and preterm/term pregnancy, but is more frequent after hydatidiform mole. The sensitivity of this tumor to chemotherapy and the presence of an exceptional tumor marker allow high remission rates, especially when patients are treated in referral centers.

AREAS COVERED

Observational, retrospective, prospective, systematic reviews, and meta-analysis studies focusing on GTN treatment. We searched PubMed, Medline, and the Library of Congress from January 1965 to May 2022.

EXPERT OPINION

Early GTN diagnosis allows low-toxic and highly effective treatment. Even multimetastatic disease has high rates of remission with multiagent regimen chemotherapy. Surgery is reserved for uterine disease in patients who have completed childbearing, in cases of chemoresistance to multiagent regimens or in the rare cases of placental site trophoblastic tumor or epithelioid trophoblastic tumor. While resistance is managed by salvage chemotherapy, cases with limited clinical response to sequential regimens have been successfully treated with immunotherapy.

Clinical Presentation, Treatment Outcomes, and Resistance-related Factors in South American Women with Low-risk Postmolar Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia

OBJECTIVE

 There are few multinational studies on gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) treatment outcomes in South America. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical presentation, treatment outcomes, and factors associated with chemoresistance in low-risk postmolar GTN treated with first-line single-agent chemotherapy in three South American centers.

METHODS

 Multicentric, historical cohort study including women with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO)-staged low-risk postmolar GTN attending centers in Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia between 1990 and 2014. Data were obtained on patient characteristics, disease presentation, and treatment response. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between clinical factors and resistance to first-line single-agent treatment. A multivariate analysis of the clinical factors significant in univariate analysis was performed.

RESULTS

 A total of 163 women with low-risk GTN were included in the analysis. The overall rate of complete response to first-line chemotherapy was 80% (130/163). The rates of complete response to methotrexate or actinomycin-D as first-line treatment, and actinomycin-D as second-line treatment postmethotrexate failure were 79% (125/157), 83% (⅚), and 70% (23/33), respectively. Switching to second-line treatment due to chemoresistance occurred in 20.2% of cases (33/163). The multivariate analysis demonstrated that patients with a 5 to 6 FIGO risk score were 4.2-fold more likely to develop resistance to first-line single-agent treatment (p = 0.019).

CONCLUSION

 1) At presentation, most women showed clinical characteristics favorable to a good outcome, 2) the overall rate of sustained complete remission after first-line single-agent treatment was comparable to that observed in developed countries, 3) a FIGO risk score of 5 or 6 is associated with development of resistance to first-line single-agent chemotherapy.

Surveillance for gestational trophoblastic neoplasia following molar pregnancy: a cost-effectiveness analysis

BACKGROUND

Historically, published guidelines for care after molar pregnancy recommended monitoring human chorionic gonadotropin levels for the development of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia until normal and then for 6 months after the first normal human chorionic gonadotropin. However, there are little data underlying such recommendations, and recent evidence has demonstrated that gestational trophoblastic neoplasia diagnosis after human chorionic gonadotropin normalization is rare.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to estimate the cost-effectiveness of alternative strategies for surveillance for gestational trophoblastic neoplasia after human chorionic gonadotropin normalization after complete and partial molar pregnancy.

STUDY DESIGN

A Markov-based cost-effectiveness model, using monthly cycles and terminating after 36 months/cycles, was constructed to compare alternative strategies for asymptomatic human chorionic gonadotropin surveillance after the first normal (none; monthly testing for 1, 3, 6, and 12 months; or every 3-month testing for 3, 6, and 12 months) for both complete and partial molar pregnancy. The risk of reduced surveillance was modeled by increasing the probability of high-risk disease at diagnosis. Probabilities, costs, and utilities were estimated from peer-reviewed literature, with all cost data applicable to the United States and adjusted to 2020 US dollars. The primary outcome was cost per quality-adjusted life year ($/quality-adjusted life year) with a $100,000/quality-adjusted life year willingness-to-pay threshold.

RESULTS

Under base-case assumptions, we found no further surveillance after the first normal human chorionic gonadotropin to be the dominant strategy from both the healthcare system and societal perspectives, for both complete and partial molar pregnancy. After complete mole, this strategy had the lowest average cost (healthcare system, $144 vs maximum $283; societal, $152 vs maximum $443) and highest effectiveness (2.711 vs minimum 2.682 quality-adjusted life years). This strategy led to a slightly higher rate of death from gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (0.013% vs minimum 0.009%), although with high costs per gestational trophoblastic neoplasia death avoided (range, $214,000 to >$4 million). Societal perspective costs of lost wages had a greater impact on frequent surveillance costs than rare gestational trophoblastic neoplasia treatment costs, and no further surveillance was more favorable from this perspective in otherwise identical analyses. No further surveillance remained dominant or preferred with incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of <$100,000 in all analyses for partial mole, and most sensitivity analyses for complete mole. Under the assumption of no disutility from surveillance, surveillance strategies were more effective (by quality-adjusted life year) than no further surveillance, and a single human chorionic gonadotropin test at 3 months was found to be cost-effective after complete mole with incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $53,261 from the healthcare perspective, but not from the societal perspective (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, $288,783).

CONCLUSION

Largely owing to the rare incidence of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia after human chorionic gonadotropin normalization after molar pregnancy, prolonged surveillance is not cost-effective under most assumptions. It would be reasonable to reduce, and potentially eliminate, current recommendations for surveillance after human chorionic gonadotropin normalization after molar pregnancy, particularly among partial moles. With any reduction in surveillance, patients should be counseled on symptoms of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia and established in routine gynecologic care.

Treatment of high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia and chemoresistance/relapsed disease

High-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) has an increased risk of developing chemoresistance to single-agent chemotherapy; therefore, the primary treatment should be a multiagent etoposide-based regimen, preferably EMA/CO. After remission (normalization of human chorionic gonadotropin - hCG), at least three consolidation courses of EMA-CO are needed to reduce the risk of relapse. Chemoresistance is diagnosed during treatment if hCG levels plateau/increase, in two consecutive values over a two-week period. When this occurs after remission, in the absence of a new pregnancy, there is a relapse. In both cases, after re-assessment of the extent of disease, EMA-EP is the most common chemotherapy choice. Even in these cases, remission rates are high. After remission is achieved, hCG should be measured monthly for a year. Pregnancy can be allowed after 12 months from remission. The follow-up of these patients in referral centers minimizes the chance of death from this disease and should be encouraged.