Background: Trophoblastic diseases are well known and encountered frequently within most oriental populations except the Japanese. In recent decades, fewer cases have been reported in Taiwan. The purpose of this study was to review and discuss all patients diagnosed with trophoblastic disease at one particular Taiwanese medical center.
Methods: Sixty-four patients with malignant gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) were treated at the Taipei Veterans General Hospital from 1977 to 1995. All cases, except those of placental-site trophoblastic disease, were included in this study.
Results: Of the 64 cases of GTD identified, 36 were nonmetastatic and 28 were metastatic. The common metastatic sites were the lungs, followed by the brain and/or liver. Six patients died of the disease. The majority of these patients (5/6) suffered from liver and/or brain metastases.
Conclusions: GTD was found to be a highly chemosensitive and curable disease. However, a significant proportion of patients die of the disease. More effective therapeutic protocols may be required in such patients to improve the survival rate.