[Staging of malignant trophoblast diseases: a dilemma]

In the past, three different staging systems have been used for trophoblastic disease: The WHO scoring system, the NIH classification and the FIGO staging system. The NIH classification has been preferred by most oncologists in the United States of America and is currently still first choice. The Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) published a new staging system in 1992 which includes both prognostic factors and the anatomic spread of the disease. Here we wish to present and evaluate these staging systems.