Optimal treatment in gestational trophoblastic disease

Gestational trophoblastic diseases are a heterogenous group of conditions ranging from the benign hydatidiform mole to the malignant choriocarcinoma. Optimal therapy in this group of diseases rest in the correct diagnosis, assessing their risk for malignant behavior using prognostic scoring systems and administering appropriate treatment. Their rarity makes it imperative that these patients are treated in special centres by experts. Benign moles are treated surgically with evacuation of the uterus or hysterectomy. In malignant gestational trophoblastic disease, chemotherapy is the treatment of choice; single agent for non-metastatic and low-risk metastatic disease and combination chemotherapy for high-risk metastatic disease. Judicious use of surgery and radiotherapy in these cases will improve the survival rate. With appropriate treatment, the cure rates approach 100% in the low-risk group and 80% to 85% in the high risk group.