Assessment of risk factors associated with post-molar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: a retrospective cohort

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate the risk factors for the development of post-molar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study with 320 women with gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) followed in a tertiary hospital from January 2005 to January 2020. Data referring to the women's sociodemographic profile, clinical, laboratory and treatment aspects and types of GTD were analyzed.

Results: The mean age of women with the benign form was 26.4±8.6 years and with the malignant forms 26.9±8.5 years (p=0.536). Most women with malignant forms came from regions further away from reference center (p=0.012), had vesicle elimination at the time of diagnosis (p=0.028) and needed more than one uterine evacuation (p<0.001) when compared to the benign forms. There was no difference between laboratory tests in both forms. Being between 30 and 39 years old increased the chance of developing invasive mole by 2.5 (p=0.004; 95%CI:1.3-4.9) and coming from regions far from reference center by 4.01 (p=0.020; CI95%: 1.2-12.9). The women with the highest risk of malignant forms were those with the longest time of become normal on human gonadotrophic hormone (hCG) testing (each week the risk increases 1.3 times; p<0.001, 95%CI: 1.2-1.3).

Conclusion: The prolonged hCG fall curve is the main indicator of an increased chance of GTN. Women from regions further away from reference center have a greater chance of developing malignant forms, probably due to the difficulty in accessing the reference center and, therefore, adequate follow-up that would allow early identification of more serious cases.

Keywords: Gestational trophoblastic disease; Gestational trophoblastic neoplasm; Hydatidiform mole, invasive.