Combination chemotherapy with methotrexate, etoposide, and actinomycin D for high-risk gestational trophoblastic tumors.

OBJECTIVES

The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, toxicity, and survival of patients with high-risk gestational trophoblastic tumors (GTTs) treated with a methotrexate-etoposide-actinomycin D (MEA) regimen without cyclosphosphamide or vincristine.

METHODS

Thirty-nine consecutive patients with high-risk GTTs (28 were defined high risk by WHO criteria) were treated with primarily the MEA regimen. Among them, 27 patients had received no prior chemotherapy and 12 had received prior chemotherapy. Survival, causes of treatment failure, and toxicity were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

After treatment with the MEA regimen, 29 of 39 patients achieved primary remission (74.4%), 8 developed resistance (20.5%), and 2 died of widespread metastases and chemotherapy-related toxicity. All 8 patients who developed resistance were treated with high-dose 5-fluorouracil and actinomycin D (FA); 6 were salvaged and 2 died of refractory disease. Three patients relapsed; 2 were controlled with FA or cisplatin-based chemotherapy and 1 who refused further treatment died. The disease-free survival rate was 87%. WHO grade 4 leukocytopenia and thrombocytopenia with the MEA regimen occurred in 5.3 and 6.4%, respectively, of the cycles; other toxic effects were acceptable and manageable.

CONCLUSIONS

At present, MEA chemotherapy (without cyclophosphamide or vincristine) is our treatment of choice for patients with high-risk GTT. Its toxicity is predictable and manageable. For patients who become resistant to MEA, new salvage chemotherapy regimens are needed.