CC BY 4.0 · Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet 2022; 44(08): 746-754
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1748974
Original Article
Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia

Clinical Presentation, Treatment Outcomes, and Resistance-related Factors in South American Women with Low-risk Postmolar Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia

Apresentação clínica, resultados do tratamento e fatores relacionados à resistência em mulheres sul-americanas com neoplasia trofoblástica gestacional pós-molar de baixo risco
1   Postgraduation Program in Tocogynecology of Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University Julio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Support Program for Foreign Doctoral Students (PAEDEx/UNESP) Botucatu, SP, Brazil
2   Clinical Department, Universidad de Caldas, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
,
3   Botucatu Trophoblastic Disease Center of the Clinical Hospital of Botucatu Medical School, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, São Paulo State University Julio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
,
4   Carlos G Durand Hospital Trophoblastic Disease Center, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
,
4   Carlos G Durand Hospital Trophoblastic Disease Center, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
,
4   Carlos G Durand Hospital Trophoblastic Disease Center, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
,
5   Oncólogos del Occidente S.A. Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
,
6   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Universitario de Caracas, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
,
7   Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, New England Trophoblastic Disease Centre, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
,
7   Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, New England Trophoblastic Disease Centre, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
,
8   Trophoblastic Tumour Screening and Treatment Centre, Charing Cross Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
,
7   Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, New England Trophoblastic Disease Centre, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Objective There are few multinational studies on gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) treatment outcomes in South America. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical presentation, treatment outcomes, and factors associated with chemoresistance in low-risk postmolar GTN treated with first-line single-agent chemotherapy in three South American centers.

Methods Multicentric, historical cohort study including women with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO)-staged low-risk postmolar GTN attending centers in Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia between 1990 and 2014. Data were obtained on patient characteristics, disease presentation, and treatment response. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between clinical factors and resistance to first-line single-agent treatment. A multivariate analysis of the clinical factors significant in univariate analysis was performed.

Results A total of 163 women with low-risk GTN were included in the analysis. The overall rate of complete response to first-line chemotherapy was 80% (130/163). The rates of complete response to methotrexate or actinomycin-D as first-line treatment, and actinomycin-D as second-line treatment postmethotrexate failure were 79% (125/157), 83% (⅚), and 70% (23/33), respectively. Switching to second-line treatment due to chemoresistance occurred in 20.2% of cases (33/163). The multivariate analysis demonstrated that patients with a 5 to 6 FIGO risk score were 4.2-fold more likely to develop resistance to first-line single-agent treatment (p = 0.019).

Conclusion 1) At presentation, most women showed clinical characteristics favorable to a good outcome, 2) the overall rate of sustained complete remission after first-line single-agent treatment was comparable to that observed in developed countries, 3) a FIGO risk score of 5 or 6 is associated with development of resistance to first-line single-agent chemotherapy.

Resumo

Objetivo Existem poucos estudos multinacionais sobre os resultados do tratamento da neoplasia trofoblástica gestacional (NTG) na América do Sul. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a apresentação clínica, os resultados do tratamento e os fatores associados a casos de quimiorresistência em NTG pós-molar de baixo risco tratados com quimioterapia de agente único de primeira linha em três centros sul-americanos.

Métodos Estudo multicêntrico de coorte histórica incluindo mulheres com NTG pós-molar de baixo risco com estadiamento International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) em centros de atendimento na Argentina, Brasil e Colômbia entre 1990 e 2014. Foram obtidos dados sobre as características do paciente, apresentação da doença e resposta ao tratamento. A regressão logística foi usada para avaliar a relação entre fatores clínicos e resistência ao tratamento de primeira linha com agente único. Foi realizada uma análise multivariada dos fatores clínicos significativos na análise univariada.

Resultados Cento e sessenta e três mulheres com NTG de baixo risco foram incluídas na análise. A taxa global de resposta completa à quimioterapia de primeira linha foi de 80% (130/163). As taxas de resposta completa ao metotrexato ou actinomicina-D como tratamento de primeira linha e actinomicina-D como tratamento de segunda linha após falha do metotrexato foram 79% (125/157), 83% (⅚) e 70% (23/33), respectivamente. A mudança para o tratamento de segunda linha por quimiorresistência ocorreu em 20,2% dos casos (33/163). A análise multivariada demonstrou que pacientes com pontuação de risco FIGO de 5 a 6 foram 4,2 vezes mais propensos a desenvolver resistência ao tratamento com agente único de primeira linha (p = 0,019).

Conclusão 1) Na apresentação, a maioria das mulheres demonstrou características clínicas favoráveis a um bom resultado, 2) a taxa geral de remissão completa sustentada após o tratamento de primeira linha com agente único foi comparável à de países desenvolvidos, 3) um escore de risco FIGO de 5 ou 6 está associado ao desenvolvimento de resistência à quimioterapia de agente único de primeira linha.

Contributions

L. A. C. R. conceived and designed the study, reviewed the literature, and collected and managed data from the databases of Durand Trophoblastic Disease Center in Buenos Aires (Carlos G. Durand Hospital), Botucatu Trophoblastic Disease Center (São Paulo State University), and Oncólogos del Occidente S.A. Manizales, Caldas, Colombia; wrote the initial draft of the manuscript. I. M. conceived and designed the study, wrote the manuscript and audited data collected from Botucatu Trophoblastic Disease Center database (São Paulo State University) by L. A. C. R. M. I. B. audited the data collected by L. A. C. R. from the Durand Trophoblastic Disease Center database in Buenos Aires (Carlos G. Durand Hospital) and contributed to data analysis. G. J. helped analyzing data from the Durand Trophoblastic Disease Center database in Buenos Aires (Carlos G. Durand Hospital) and contributed to the manuscript. S. O. helped with the analysis of data from the Carlos G. Durand Hospital database and contributed to the manuscript. C. R. V. M. audited data collected by L. A. C. R. from the database of Oncólogos del Occidente S.A. Manizales, Caldas, Colombia and contributed to the manuscript. R. C. C. contributed to data analysis and interpretation and reviewed the literature for discussion. K. M. E. conceived the analysis strategy and contributed to the manuscript. N. S. H. contributed to data analysis and interpretation and revised the manuscript. M. J. S. supervised the study and revised the manuscript. R. S. B. supervised the study and revised the manuscript.




Publication History

Received: 03 February 2022

Accepted: 28 March 2022

Article published online:
27 June 2022

© 2022. Federação Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda.
Rua do Matoso 170, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 20270-135, Brazil

 
  • References

  • 1 Seckl MJ, Sebire NJ, Berkowitz RS. Gestational trophoblastic disease. Lancet 2010; 376 (9742): 717-729 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60280-2.
  • 2 Hancock BW, Tidy J. Placental site trophoblastic tumour and epithelioid trophoblastic tumour. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol 2021; 74: 131-148 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2020.10.004.
  • 3 Elias KM, Berkowitz RS, Horowitz NS. State of-the-art workup and initial management of newly diagnosed molar pregnancy and postmolar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 2019; 17 (11) 1396-1401 DOI: 10.6004/jnccn.2019.7364.
  • 4 Braga A, Paiva G, Ghorani E, Freitas F, Velarde LG, Kaur B. et al. Predictors for single-agent resistance in FIGO score 5 or 6 gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: a multicentre, retrospective, cohort study. Lancet Oncol 2021; 22 (08) 1188-1198 DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(21)00262-X.
  • 5 Seckl MJ, Ghorani E. Progress to international harmonisation of care and future developments. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol 2021; 74: 159-167 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2021.05.006.
  • 6 Freitas F, Braga A, Viggiano M, Velarde LD, Maesta I, Uberti E. et al. Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia lethality among Brazilian women: A retrospective national cohort study. Gynecol Oncol 2020; 158 (02) 452-459 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2020.04.704.
  • 7 Seckl MJ, Sebire NJ, Fisher RA, Golfier F, Massuger L, Sessa C. ESMO Guidelines Working Group. Gestational trophoblastic disease: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann Oncol 2013; 24 (Suppl. 06) vi39-vi50 DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdt345.
  • 8 FIGO Oncology Committee. FIGO staging for gestational trophoblastic neoplasia 2000. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2002; 77 (03) 285-287 DOI: 10.1016/s0020-7292(02)00063-2.
  • 9 Chapman-Davis E, Hoekstra AV, Rademaker AW, Schink JC, Lurain JR. Treatment of nonmetastatic and metastatic low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: factors associated with resistance to single-agent methotrexate chemotherapy. Gynecol Oncol 2012; 125 (03) 572-575 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2012.03.039.
  • 10 Berkowitz RS, Goldstein DP, Bernstein MR. Ten year's experience with methotrexate and folinic acid as primary therapy for gestational trophoblastic disease. Gynecol Oncol 1986; 23 (01) 111-118 DOI: 10.1016/0090-8258(86)90123-x.
  • 11 Petrilli ES, Twiggs LB, Blessing JA, Teng NH, Curry S. Single-dose actinomycin-D treatment for nonmetastatic gestational trophoblastic disease. A prospective phase II trial of the Gynecologic Oncology Group. Cancer 1987; 60 (09) 2173-2176 DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(19871101)60:9<2173:aid-cncr2820600910>3.0.co;2-3.
  • 12 Goldstein DP, Winig P, Shirley RL. Actinomycin D as initial therapy of gestational trophoblastic disease. A reevaluation. Obstet Gynecol 1972; 39 (03) 341-345
  • 13 Sita-Lumsden A, Short D, Lindsay I, Sebire NJ, Adjogatse D, Seckl MJ. et al. Treatment outcomes for 618 women with gestational trophoblastic tumours following a molar pregnancy at the Charing Cross Hospital, 2000-2009. Br J Cancer 2012; 107 (11) 1810-1814 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2012.462.
  • 14 Cortés-Charry R, Hennah L, Froeling FEM, Short D, Aguiar X, Tin T. et al. Increasing the human chorionic gonadotrophin cut-off to ≤1000 IU/l for starting actinomycin D in post-molar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia developing resistance to methotrexate spares more women multi-agent chemotherapy. ESMO Open 2021; 6 (03) 100110 DOI: 10.1016/j.esmoop.2021.100110.
  • 15 Bianconi MI, Otero S, Moscheni O, Alvarez L, Storino C, Jankilevich G. Gestational trophoblastic disease: a 21-year review of the clinical experience at an Argentinean public hospital. J Reprod Med 2012; 57 (7-8): 341-349
  • 16 Uberti EM, Fajardo MdoC, da Cunha AG, Frota SS, Braga A, Ayub AC. Treatment of low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia comparing biweekly eight-day Methotrexate with folinic acid versus bolus-dose Actinomycin-D, among Brazilian women. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet 2015; 37 (06) 258-265 DOI: 10.1590/SO100-720320150005366.
  • 17 Maestá I, de Freitas Segalla Moreira M, Rezende-Filho J, Bianconi MI, Jankilevich G, Otero S. et al. Outcomes in the management of high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia in trophoblastic disease centers in South America. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2020; 30 (09) 1366-1371 DOI: 10.1136/ijgc-2020-001237.
  • 18 Poli JG, Paiva G, Freitas F, Mora P, Velarde LGG, Amim JuniorJ. et al. Folinic acid rescue during methotrexate treatment for low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia - How much is just right?. Gynecol Oncol 2021; 162 (03) 638-644 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2021.07.013.
  • 19 Cortés-Charry R, Maestá I, Bianconi MI. Presentation and management of molar pregnancy and gestational trophoblastic neoplasia in Latin America. In: Hancock BW, Seckl MJ, Berkowitz RS, editors. Gestational trophoblastic disease. 4th ed. Orange: International Society for the Study of Trophoblastic Diseases; 2015. p. 1–15.
  • 20 Dantas PRS, Maestá I, Filho JR, Amin JuniorJ, Elias KM, Horowitz N. et al. Does hormonal contraception during molar pregnancy follow-up influence the risk and clinical aggressiveness of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia after controlling for risk factors?. Gynecol Oncol 2017; 147 (02) 364-370 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2017.09.007.
  • 21 Maestá I, Nitecki R, Horowitz NS, Goldstein PP, Moreira MF, Elias KM. et al. Effectiveness and toxicity of first-line methotrexate chemotherapy in low-risk postmolar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: The New England Trophoblastic Disease Center experience. Gynecol Oncol 2018; 148 (01) 161-167 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2017.10.028.
  • 22 Ferreira EG, Maestá I, Michelin OC, de Paula RC, Consonni M, Rudge MV. Assessment of quality of life and psychologic aspects in patients with gestational trophoblastic disease. J Reprod Med 2009; 54 (04) 239-244
  • 23 Lok C, van Trommel N, Massuger L, Golfier F, Seckl M. Clinical Working Party of the EOTTD. Practical clinical guidelines of the EOTTD for treatment and referral of gestational trophoblastic disease. Eur J Cancer 2020; 130: 228-240 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2020.02.011.
  • 24 Dantas PR, Maestá I, Cortés-Charry R, Growdon WB, Braga A, Rudge MV. et al. Influence of hydatidiform mole follow-up setting on postmolar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia outcomes: a cohort study. J Reprod Med 2012; 57 (7-8): 305-309
  • 25 Hoskins PJ, Le N, Kumar A, Pina A, Sabourin JN, Kim H. et al. Single or two drug combination therapy as initial treatment for low risk, gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. A Canadian analysis. Gynecol Oncol 2020; 157 (02) 367-371 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2020.02.005.
  • 26 Osborne RJ, Filiaci V, Schink JC, Mannel RS, Alvarez SecordA, Kelley JL. et al. Phase III trial of weekly methotrexate or pulsed dactinomycin for low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: a gynecologic oncology group study. J Clin Oncol 2011; 29 (07) 825-831 DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2010.30.4386.
  • 27 Maestá I, Nitecki R, Desmarais CCF, Horowitz NS, Goldstein DP, Elias KM. et al. Effectiveness and toxicity of second-line actinomycin D in patients with methotrexate-resistant postmolar low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. Gynecol Oncol 2020; 157 (02) 372-378 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2020.02.001.
  • 28 Mora PAR, Sun SY, Velarde GC, Rezende FilhoJ, Uberti EH, Esteves AP. et al. Can carboplatin or etoposide replace actinomycin-d for second-line treatment of methotrexate resistant low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia?. Gynecol Oncol 2019; 153 (02) 277-285 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2019.03.005.
  • 29 McGrath S, Short D, Harvey R, Schmid P, Savage PM, Seckl MJ. The management and outcome of women with post-hydatidiform mole ‘low-risk’ gestational trophoblastic neoplasia, but hCG levels in excess of 100 000 IU l(-1). Br J Cancer 2010; 102 (05) 810-814 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6605529.
  • 30 Sita-Lumsden A, Medani H, Fisher R, Harvey R, Short D, Sebire N. et al. Uterine artery pulsatility index improves prediction of methotrexate resistance in women with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia with FIGO score 5-6. BJOG 2013; 120 (08) 1012-1015 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.12196.
  • 31 Frijstein MM, Lok C, van Trommel NE, Ten Kate Booij MJ, Massuger L, van WerkhovenE. et al. Lung metastases in low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: a retrospective cohort study. BJOG 2020; 127 (03) 389-395 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.16036.