Effects of Prophylactic Chemotherapy for Persistent Trophoblastic Disease in Patients With Complete Hydatidiform Mole

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Abstract
Seventy-one patients with complete hydatidiform mole were prospectively randomized into two groups: one group (39 patients) was treated with a single course of methotrexate and citrovorum factor rescue as chemoprophylaxis; the other group (32 patients) was not treated. After molar evacuation, four patients from the treated group (10.3%) and ten patients from the untreated group (31.3%) developed persistent trophoblastic disease. The time interval from evacuation of the mole to diagnosis of persistent trophoblastic disease was longer in the treated group than in the untreated group (9.5 .+-. 2.4 weeks versus 5.1 .+-. 1.6 weeks, P < .05). Among high-risk patients, there was a lower incidence of persistent trophoblastic disease in the treated group than in the untreated group (14.3 versus 47.4%, P < .05). Among low-risk patients there was no difference between the groups (5.6 versus 7.7%, P > .05). All 14 patients with persisent trophoblastic disease achieved complete remission with therapeutic chemotherapy. More courses of chemotherapy were required until complete remission in the treated group than in the untreated group (2.5 .+-. 0.5 versus 1.4 .+-. 0.5, P < .005). These findings suggest tht even though chemoprophylaxis reduces the incidence of persistent trophoblastic disease in patients at high risk, it increases tumor resistance and morbidity. Although propylactic chemotherapy with methotrexate and citrovorum factor resue may be helpful for high-risk patients who cannot be followed or whose compliance is in question, careful follow-up remains the most important way to identify patients who should receive chemotherapy.