Objective: To review relapsed gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN).
Study design: Patients who had relapsed GTN between 1978 and 2001 at Queen Mary Hospital were included in the study. Records were reviewed and data analyzed regarding treatment, follow-up and survival.
Results: Eighteen patients with relapsed GTN were identified. Patients' ages ranged from 21 to 56 years, with a median of 34. Eight were classified as low risk, 1 as medium risk and 9 as high risk at the time of diagnosis. Seven, 3 and 8 patients were treated with single-, dual- and multiple-agent chemotherapy, respectively. The median interval between remission and relapse was 6.5 months (range, 1-132). The time interval to relapse did not correlate with patient mortality (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.873). Four patients died of the disease, and all of them were classified and treated as low risk at the time of diagnosis. Three were lost to follow-up at some point. The remaining patient had relapsed choriocarcinoma and developed progressive disease despite intensive multiple-modality treatment. The overall survival rate for relapsed GTN was 77.8%.
Conclusion: Patients with relapsed GTN are salvageable. Failure of treatment seems attributable to patients who defaulted treatment or follow-up and presented late with massive disease.