Doppler-based predictive model for methotrexate resistance in low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia with myometrial invasion: prospective study of 147 patients

Recurrence and resistance risk factors in low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia

Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) is a group of rare but highly curable pregnancy-related tumors, especially in low-risk cases. However, around 25% of patients with GTN develop either resistant or recurrent disease after initial chemotherapy. To enhance the understanding of the mechanisms driving treatment failures and to develop more personalized and effective therapeutic strategies, this review explored diverse factors influencing low-risk GTN prognosis. These factors include FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) risk score, histology, patient age, pregnancy type, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels, disease duration, tumor characteristics, metastasis, Doppler ultrasonography, and consolidation chemotherapy. Additionally, the review examined independent risk determinants for disease recurrence and resistance to single-agent chemotherapy in patients with low-risk GTN. In most previous studies on the risk factors related to low-risk GTN, resistance and recurrence have typically been examined independently, despite their overlapping and interrelated nature. Furthermore, they often involve small sample sizes, suffer from methodological shortcomings, and exhibit limited statistical power.Studies utilizing multivariate analysis have shown that independent risk determinants for resistance to first-line treatment include FIGO score, metastatic disease, pre-treatment hCG level, interval between antecedent pregnancy and GTN diagnosis, tumor size, uterine artery pulsatility index (UAPI), choriocarcinoma, lung metastases, lung nodule size, and clearance hCG quartile. The independent predictive factors associated with recurrence include lung metastases, lung nodule size, interval between antecedent pregnancy and chemotherapy, interval from first chemotherapy to hCG normalization, post-delivery low-risk GTN, number of chemotherapy courses to achieve hCG normalization, and number of consolidation chemotherapy cycles. However, while these identified predictive factors offer valuable guidance, the variability in definitions and populations across studies may have implications for the generalizability of their findings. A comprehensive approach using clear definitions and taking into account multiple predictive factors may be necessary for accurately assessing the risk of resistance and recurrence in patients with low-risk GTN.

Severe uterine haemorrhagic complications from gestational trophoblastic neoplasia

OBJECTIVE

Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia are highly vascularized infiltrating lesions that can lead to severe haemorrhagic complications. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia who experienced uterine haemorrhagic complications, and their management.

STUDY DESIGN

This retrospective study analysed the histories of 2099 patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia registered at the French Reference Centre for Trophoblastic Disease between 1999 and 2023.

RESULTS

Among 2099 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia, 38 patients who experienced uterine haemorrhagic complications requiring interventional treatment were identified. Among them, 23 (61%) had a low-risk tumour and 15 (39%) had a high-risk tumour according to their International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics score. Twenty (53%) patients experienced haemoperitoneum and 18 (47%) patients experienced massive vaginal bleeding. Seventeen (45%) patients experienced uterine rupture. Haemorrhagic treatment consisted of surgery for 26 (70%) patients, exclusive uterine embolization for six (16%) patients, embolization followed by surgery for four (11%) patients, and embolization after failure to control bleeding by aspiration for one (3%) patient. Of the five deaths (13%), one (3%) was related to the uterine haemorrhagic complication. Three of 15 (20%) patients treated conservatively reported subsequent pregnancies.

CONCLUSION

There are no established guidelines for managing severe uterine haemorrhagic complications. The availability of interventional radiology resources could allow for increased use of fertility-preserving procedures, with encouraging results regarding subsequent pregnancies.

Multimodality Imaging in the Diagnosis and Staging of Gestational Choriocarcinoma

Choriocarcinoma is an uncommon, highly invasive malignancy arising from the placental trophoblastic tissue. Though staging is clinical, imaging has significant role in the diagnosis, staging, prognostic risk scoring, and management of choriocarcinomas. The purpose of this article is to review the role of multimodality imaging in the diagnosis, staging, and management of choriocarcinomas in correlation with clinicopathologic findings.

Role of artificial intelligence applied to ultrasound in gynecology oncology: A systematic review

The aim of this paper was to explore the role of artificial intelligence (AI) applied to ultrasound imaging in gynecology oncology. Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus databases were searched. All studies were imported to RAYYAN QCRI software. The overall quality of the included studies was assessed using QUADAS-AI tool. Fifty studies were included, of these 37/50 (74.0%) on ovarian masses or ovarian cancer, 5/50 (10.0%) on endometrial cancer, 5/50 (10.0%) on cervical cancer, and 3/50 (6.0%) on other malignancies. Most studies were at high risk of bias for subject selection (i.e., sample size, source, or scanner model were not specified; data were not derived from open-source datasets; imaging preprocessing was not performed) and index test (AI models was not externally validated) and at low risk of bias for reference standard (i.e., the reference standard correctly classified the target condition) and workflow (i.e., the time between index test and reference standard was reasonable). Most studies presented machine learning models (33/50, 66.0%) for the diagnosis and histopathological correlation of ovarian masses, while others focused on automatic segmentation, reproducibility of radiomics features, improvement of image quality, prediction of therapy resistance, progression-free survival, and genetic mutation. The current evidence supports the role of AI as a complementary clinical and research tool in diagnosis, patient stratification, and prediction of histopathological correlation in gynecological malignancies. For example, the high performance of AI models to discriminate between benign and malignant ovarian masses or to predict their specific histology can improve the diagnostic accuracy of imaging methods.

Prognosticating gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: from FIGO 2000 to future models

The FIGO 2000 Prognostic Scoring System is a global standard for prognostication in patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). However, the system has not been updated in over 20 years, and in clinical practice it has several critical limitations, including inadequate assessment of single-agent chemotherapy resistance and overuse in unsuitable clinical scenarios. This review critically examines these shortcomings and summarizes recent efforts to refine the system. After identifying its limitations, we propose novel refinements: instead of relying on a single system to address multiple clinical objectives, we advocate for specialized scoring models, each tailored to a specific clinical goal. This approach simplifies and enhances the effectiveness of prognostic assessments. Additionally, biological and genetic markers must be integrated into these models to improve accuracy. Looking ahead, we emphasize the need for advanced technologies and multicentre collaboration to build more personalized and adaptive GTN management frameworks, ultimately improving clinical practice and outcomes.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2023YFC2705802) and National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding (2022-PUMCH-C-058).

Integrating High-intensity Focused Ultrasound with Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Invasive Hydatidiform Mole in Reproductive-age Women

Invasive hydatidiform mole, a form of gestational trophoblastic neoplasm in reproductive-age women, poses a significant threat to life due to its associated signs and symptoms. This case report details the management of a 24-year-old Chinese woman with no prior pregnancy history, who presented at our hospital 23 days postcurettage, experiencing persistent vaginal bleeding for 3 days. While two rounds of chemotherapy effectively reduced human chorionic gonadotropin levels, a subsequent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed suspicious growth lesions in the uterus. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment was administered under ultrasound guidance, resulting in notable grayscale changes to optimize the efficacy of chemotherapy and restrict lesion progression. Subsequent ultrasound and MRI assessments during follow-up demonstrated a transparent texture in the muscle layer at the lesion site. This case suggests that the combination of chemotherapy and HIFU, guided by ultrasound, may represent a promising therapeutic approach for managing invasive hydatidiform mole.

A meta-analysis of predictive value of blood biomarkers in gestational trophoblastic neoplasia

Background: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been reported to play a diagnostic and predictive role in gestational trophoblastic disease. However, the conclusions are still ambiguous. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the combined predictive value of NLR and PLR in the malignant progression of gestational trophoblastic disease. Method: Electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang and China Biomedical Literature Database were searched for the relevant literature published up to 1 October 2022. Study selection and data extraction were performed independently by two reviewers. All analyses were performed using Revman, MetaDisc and STATA software. Results: A total of 858 patients from five studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of NLR were 0.8 (95% CI: 0.71-0.88) and 0.73 (95% CI: 0.69-0.76), respectively, and the area under curve of the summary receiver operating curve was 0.81. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of PLR were 0.87 (95% CI: 0.75-0.95) and 0.49 (95% CI: 0.44-0.54), respectively, and the area under curve of the summary receiver operating curve was 0.88. I2 statistic and Deek's funnel plot showed no heterogeneity and publication bias. Conclusion: NLR can accurately predict the progression from hydatidiform mole to gestational trophoblastic neoplasia and is a promising biomarker in further follow-up.

Predictive factors associated with resistance to initial methotrexate treatment in women with low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia

AIM

To compare clinical characteristics and identify factors predictive of resistance to initial treatment with methotrexate-folinic acid (MTX-FA) in women with low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN).

METHODS

Retrospective chart reviews were conducted in patients diagnosed with low-risk GTN who were treated with MTX-FA at Siriraj Hospital between 2002 and 2018. Demographic data, disease characteristics, treatment response, toxicity, and data of the subsequent pregnancy were collected and analyzed. Groups of patients who were responsive or resistant to treatment were compared. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors predictive of resistance to methotrexate chemotherapy.

RESULTS

Totally, 113 patients were eligible for analysis. The primary remission rate was 55.8% with first-line MTX-FA. All other patients achieved remission by subsequent treatment with actinomycin D or multiple-agent chemotherapy. Relapse of disease occurred in 4.4% and the overall survival rate was 99.1%. Univariate analysis showed that pretreatment serum hCG, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio at baseline, and serum hCG ratio of the first three consecutive cycles (C) were significantly associated with resistance to MTX-FA. Independent factors that predict failure to respond to first-line MTX-FA were pretreatment serum hCG ≥15,000 IU/L, a less than 4.8-fold reduction of serum hCG between cycle 1 and cycle 2 (C1/C2), and a less than seven-fold reduction of serum hCG from cycle 2 to cycle 3 (C2/C3).

CONCLUSIONS

First-line MTX-FA treatment is effective in 55.8% of patients. Pretreatment serum hCG, and serum hCG ratio between consecutive treatment cycles can predict initial treatment failure.