POOR-PROGNOSIS GESTATIONAL TROPHOBLASTIC DISEASE - AN UPDATE

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 64  (1) , 21-26
Abstract
Ten patients with poor-prognosis gestational trophoblastic neoplasia were treated from 1979 to 1983 primarily with the modified Bagshawe chemotherapy regimen. Four patients had brain metastases, and 1 patient had liver metastases. Etoposide (VP-16) was used in 7 patients, bleomycin in 6, cisplatin in 5, 5-fluoro-uracil in 2, and cis-retinoic acid in 4 patients. Thoracotomy, hysterectomy, and splenectomy were performed after chemotherapy was initiated for isolated resistant disease. At present, 9 of the 10 patients (90%) are in complete remission for 4-44 mo. Significant myelosuppression was encountered in 7 patients and life-threatening toxicity was noted in 2 patients. Currently, poor-prognosis patients are treated with the modified Bagshawe regimen, alternating every other week with etoposide, bleomycin and cisplatin.