Management of relapsed gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: What can help to reduce the re-recurrence rate?

AIM

To explore the risk factors for re-recurrence in relapsed gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) and therapeutic approaches to reduce the re-recurrence rate.

METHODS

Data of relapsed GTN treated in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2020, were reviewed retrospectively. Risk factors associated with re-recurrence were analyzed using Logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 39 relapsed GTN patients were included in our study. At the time of the first relapse, 14 patients received single-agent chemotherapy and 25 patients received multi-agent chemotherapy. Surgery was performed in 19 patients. Complete remission was achieved in all of the patients. Re-recurrence occurred in 21 patients. Univariate analysis suggested that unifocal recurrence was the only factor significantly associated with re-recurrence (OR = 0.25, p = 0.04). Recurrence pattern-based subgroup analysis showed that the proportion of re-recurrence was lower in patients who received both surgery and chemotherapy compared to those who received only chemotherapy in the unifocal recurrence group (3/11 vs. 2/4), but not in the non-unifocal recurrence group (7/8 vs. 9/16). The results of the multivariate analysis showed that there was no significant difference in re-recurrence rates between the surgical approaches and that the non-unifocal recurrence pattern was an independent risk factor for re-recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

For relapsed GTN with unifocal recurrence pattern, surgical removal of the lesion can effectively reduce the re-recurrence rate.