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Treatment Option Overview
How gestational trophoblastic tumor is treated
Treatment by stage
How gestational trophoblastic tumor is treated
There are treatments for all patients with gestational trophoblastic tumor.
Two kinds of treatment are used: surgery (taking out the cancer) and chemotherapy (using drugs to kill cancer cells). Radiation therapy (using
high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells) may be used in certain cases to treat
cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.
The doctor may take out the cancer using one of the following operations:
- Dilation and curettage (D & C) with suction evacuation is stretching the
opening of the uterus (the cervix) and removing the material inside the
uterus with a small vacuum-like device. The walls of the uterus are then
scraped gently to remove any material that may remain in the uterus. This is
used only for molar pregnancies.
- Hysterectomy is an operation to take out the uterus. The ovaries usually
are not removed in the treatment of this disease.
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. It may be taken by pill or put
into the body by a needle in a vein or muscle. It is called a systemic
treatment because the drugs enter the bloodstream, travel through the body, and
can kill cancer cells outside the uterus. Chemotherapy may be given before or
after surgery or alone.
Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external-beam
radiation therapy) or from putting materials that produce radiation
(radioisotopes) through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells
are found (internal radiation).
Treatment by stage
Treatment of gestational trophoblastic tumor depends on the stage of the
disease, and the patient’s age and overall condition.
Standard treatment may be considered because of its effectiveness in patients
in past studies, or participation in a clinical trial may be considered. Not
all patients are cured with standard therapy and some standard treatments may
have more side effects than are desired. For these reasons, clinical trials
are designed to find better ways to treat cancer patients and are based on the
most up-to-date information. Clinical trials are ongoing in most parts of the
country for most stages of gestational trophoblastic tumor. To learn more
about clinical trials, call the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER
(1-800-422-6237); TTY at 1-800-332-8615.
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