About chemotherapy for persistent trophoblastic disease and choriocarcinoma

This page tells you about chemotherapy to treat persistent trophoblastic disease and choriocarcinoma. There is information below about

A quick guide to what's on this page
Chemotherapy and GTT
When you might need chemotherapy

About chemotherapy for persistent disease and choriocarcinoma

Chemotherapy uses anti cancer or 'cytotoxic' drugs to destroy tumour cells.

When you might need chemotherapy

Most women who have a molar pregnancy will only need to have a small operation (D and C). Afterwards you need follow up tests on the levels of hCG in your blood and urine to make sure you have no signs of the disease left in your body.

If your hCG level does not return to normal, or if there is evidence of choriocarcinoma in the tissue sample taken during your surgery, you will need further tests to help stage your disease. The stage of the disease will also help your doctors decide which chemotherapy treatment you will need – low or high risk treatment.

CR PDF Icon You can view and print the quick guides for all the pages in the treating persistent trophoblastic disease and choriocarcinoma section.

Persistent trophoblastic disease and choriocarcinoma are types of gestational trophoblastic tumours (GTT for short). This link takes you to general information about GTTs.

Chemotherapy uses anti cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy tumour cells. They work by disrupting their growth. Chemotherapy circulates in the bloodstream around the body.

Most women who have a molar pregnancy only need to have a small operation (D and C). After surgery your body can usually get rid of any remaining molar tissue on its own. But in some women some molar tissue may remain. You will need follow up tests to make sure you have no signs of the molar tissue left in your body.

Follow up means keeping a very close eye on your blood and urine hCG levels. You will need further tests to help stage your disease if your tests show that

Your hCG level stays the same on 4 measurements over a period of 3 weeks or longer
Your hCG goes up on 2 measurements in a row, over a period of at least 2 weeks
Your hCG level is 20,000 IU/L (international units per litre) or more, 4 weeks after surgery
Your hCG level stays high for 6 months or longer, even if the level is coming down
There is evidence of choriocarcinoma in the tissue sample taken during removal of a molar pregnancy

The stage of the disease also helps your doctors decide which chemotherapy treatment you will need - low or high risk treatment.

There is more information about the chemotherapy drugs used for GTT in this section. And there is general information about chemotherapy treatment in the treatment section of CancerHelp UK.