Gestational Trophoblastic Disease
Gestational trophoblastic disease, or GTD, is a name given to a variety of diseases which can happen to a woman while pregnant or shortly thereafter. The cells which causes these problems are the trophoblasts, which forms part of the placenta in a pregnant woman. The pregnancy can be a miscarriage, a tubal pregancy, or a full term pregnancy with delivery of a normal baby. This is a fairly rare condition which may simply require weekly blood test for monitoring or in more serious and advanced cases, chemotherapy and possibly surgery. Ellis Fischel Cancer Center uses a team approach incorporating the latest techniques in diagnosis and treatment of gestational trophoblastic disease.
Outcomes
GTD is a very curable disease if caught early and treated appropriately. Even woman with spread of the disease to other organ systems (including the lungs, liver & brain) can be cured. The most important factor is appropriate diagnosis and treatment by a gynecologic cancer specialist or in a special center which treats trophoblastic disease. Failure to follow-up with blood tests or change to appropriate therapy if beta HCG levels begin to rise are important factors in whether the disease is curable. These abnormal cells grow very quickly and any delays in diagnosis, treatment , or monitoring can put a woman's life at stake.
Diagnosis
Treatment
