Is chemotherapy necessary for patients with molar pregnancy and human chorionic gonadotropin serum levels raised but falling at 6months after uterine evacuation?

OBJECTIVE

To compare the outcomes of Brazilian patients with molar pregnancy who continue human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) surveillance with those treated with chemotherapy when hCG was still positive, but falling at 6months after uterine evacuation.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review of 12,526 patients with hydatidiform mole treated at one of nine Brazilian reference centers from January 1990 to May 2016.

RESULTS

At 6months from uterine evacuation, 96 (0.8%) patients had hCG levels raised but falling. In 15/96 (15.6%) patients, chemotherapy was initiated immediately per FIGO 2000 criteria, while 81/96 (84.4%) patients were managed expectantly. Among the latter, 65/81 (80.2%) achieved spontaneous remission and 16 (19.8%) developed postmolar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). Patients who received chemotherapy following expectant management required more time for remission (11 versus 8months; p=0.001), had a greater interval between uterine evacuation and initiating chemotherapy (8 versus 6months; p<0.001), and presented with a median WHO/FIGO risk score higher than women treated according to FIGO 2000 criteria (4 versus 2, p=0.04), but there were no significant differences in the need for multiagent treatment regimens (1/15 versus 3/16 patients, p=0.60). None of the women relapsed, and no deaths occurred in either group.

CONCLUSION

In order to avoid unnecessary exposure of women to chemotherapy, we no longer follow the FIGO 2000 recommendation to treat all patients with molar pregnancy and hCG raised but falling at 6months after evacuation. Instead, we pursue close hormonal and radiological surveillance as the best strategy for these patients.