Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor: review of a rare neoplasm of the chorionic-type intermediate trophoblast

Management of trophoblastic tumors : review of evidence, current practice, and future directions

INTRODUCTION

Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) is a group of rare tumors characterized by abnormal trophoblastic proliferation following pregnancy including invasive moles, choriocarcinomas, and intermediate trophoblastic tumors (ITT). Although the treatment and follow-up of GTN has been heterogeneous, globally the emergence of expert networks has helped to harmonize its management.

AREAS COVERED

We provide an overview of the current knowledge, diagnosis, and management strategies in GTN and discuss innovative therapeutic options under investigation. While chemotherapy has been the historical backbone of GTN treatment, promising drugs such as immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway and anti-angiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors are currently being investigated remodeling the therapeutical landscape of trophoblastic tumors.

EXPERT OPINION

Chemotherapy regimens for GTN have potential long-term effects on fertility and quality of life, making innovative and less toxic therapeutic approaches necessary. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown promise in reversing immune tolerance in GTN and have been evaluated in several trials. However, immunotherapy is associated with rare but life-threatening adverse events and evidence of immune-related infertility in mice, highlighting the need for further research and careful consideration of its use. Innovative biomarkers could help personalize GTN treatments and reduce chemotherapy burden in some patients.

Special epithelioid trophoblastic tumor: A case report

BACKGROUND

Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT) is a special type of gestational trophoblastic tumor. However, its pathogenesis has been incompletely elucidated. ETT rarely occurs in the ovaries and fallopian tubes, unlike placental site trophoblastic tumor, requiring a histopathological biopsy and immunohistochemistry for further diagnosis.

CASE SUMMARY

A 29-year-old woman with irregular vaginal bleeding and elevated serum chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) levels presented similar symptoms to ectopic pregnancy. Transvaginal ultrasound revealed abnormal echoes of the left adnexa. Postoperatively, the pathology of the left ovary and fallopian tube was reported as ETT. The patient was followed up with regular hCG measurements and ultrasounds. The blood hCG values showed an upward trend 3 mo after the operation and then chemotherapy was prescribed. The current health status is normal.

CONCLUSION

For women of childbearing age with elevated serum β-hCG levels, practitioners should consider ETT and be alert to the poor prognosis of the disease. After surgery, the patient's condition should be closely observed to prevent recurrence and metastasis. Postoperative chemotherapy is only helpful for treating the disease to a certain extent.

Clinical features and management of trophoblastic epithelioid tumors: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to systematically review the existing literature on epithelioid trophoblastic tumors (ETTs), the rarest type of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia.

METHODS

A systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines was performed, using ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. The only filter used was the English language. Eligibility/inclusion criteria: retrospective observational studies (case reports, case series) including full case description of epithelioid trophoblastic tumor lesions.

RESULTS

Seventy studies were assessed for synthesis, including 147 cases. 66.7% of patients with ETT presented with irregular vaginal bleeding. Pretreatment β-hCG levels ranged up to 1000 mIU/mL in 58.5% patients. Of most patients, 42.2% had stage I disease, 10.9% stage II, 25.2% stage III, and 21.8% of patients had stage IV. The most common sites of metastatic disease were the lungs, followed by the liver and brain. After treatment, complete remission was achieved in 75.5% of patients, partial remission in 10.2% of patients, and 14.3% of patients died. On univariate and multivariate analyses, stage IV disease was an independent prognostic factor for overall and disease-free survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Hysterectomy and metastatic lesion resection are essential for controlling ETT. Investigational studies on molecules like EGFR, VEGF, PD-1, CD105, and LPCAT1 are potential therapeutic targets for metastatic ETT.

A Multicenter Retrospective Study of Epithelioid Trophoblastic Tumors to Identify the Outcomes, Prognostic Factors, and Therapeutic Strategies

Background

There is no consensus for the management of epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT) up to date.

Objective

ETT is the rarest form of gestational trophoblastic neplasia (GTN). Our goal was to assess the outcomes and explore the prognostic factors of patients with ETT through this multicenter retrospective analysis and to devise a risk-adapted approach to clinical management.

Methods

A total of 31 patients were validated as ETT pathologically between January 2004 and June 2021 from three tertiary hospitals. We retrospectively analyzed the characteristics, treatments, outcomes, and prognostic factors.

Results

Eight patients experienced a recurrence, and 6 patients died of ETT, resulting in a mortality rate of 19.4%. Five patients with stage I disease had a fertility-preserving treatment. Among them, one patient had a full-term delivery, whereas a 23-year-old patient who declined a hysterectomy died of a recurrent disease. Eight patients of extrauterine ETT with isolated pulmonary lesion were at a young age at diagnosis (median: 30.5 vs. 41, p = 0.003) and had a smaller tumor size (median: 2.4 vs. 4.8 cm, p = 0.003) compared with other patients who had a metastatic disease, and none of them died. The multivariate analyses showed that the number of metastases ≥3 [hazard ratio (HR), 28.16, p = 0.003] was the only significant predictor associated with adverse overall survival, while the number of metastases ≥3 (HR 9.59, p = 0.005) and chemotherapy alone (HR 16.42, p = 0.001) were associated with adverse recurrence-free survival. Patients in stage I or with number of metastases <3 had a favorable prognosis, whereas the prognosis of patients whose number of metastases ≥3 remains poor.

Conclusions

Chemotherapy alone is insufficient for patients with ETT. Surgical procedures are the mainstay of management for ETT patients. Combined surgery and multi-agent chemotherapy are recommended for patients with metastatic disease and localized disease with persistently positive human chorionic gonadotrophin levels after surgery. The number of metastases at ≥3 is the most critical risk factor for ETT.

Persistent trophoblastic atypia on endocervical curettage found to be an epithelioid trophoblastic Tumor: A case report and review of the literature

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Persistent atypical trophoblastic disease found on endocervical curettage for CIN3.

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Atypia not demonstrated on repeat samplings and no abnormalities on imaging.

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Atypia recurred and final pathology demonstrated epithelial trophoblastic tumor.

We present an unusual case of a 28-year-old female who had atypical trophoblastic proliferation on her endocervical curettage (ECC) performed at the time of a colposcopy. The indication for colposcopy was a Pap smear notable for atypical squamous cells of unknown significance, positive HPV. Initially conservative management was pursued, but given persistent atypia the patient ultimately decided to proceed with definitive management via hysterectomy. Final histologic assessment demonstrated an epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT). This case highlights the unusual scenario of ETT presenting as atypical trophoblastic cells on endocervical curettage and the possible evolution of an atypical placental site nodule into an ETT.

Gestational Trophoblastic Disease: Contemporary Diagnostic Approach

Pathologic diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD)-hydatidiform moles and gestational trophoblastic neoplasms-underwent a major shift in the past decade from morphology-based recognition to precise molecular genetic classification of entities, which also allows for prognostic stratification of molar gestations. This article highlights these recent advances and their integration into the routine pathology practice. The traditional gross and histomorphologic features of each entity are also reviewed with special focus on differential diagnoses and their clinical implications.

Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor in a postmenopausal woman: A case report and review of the literature in the postmenopausal group

Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor is a rare gestational trophoblastic neoplasm arising from the intermediate trophoblasts. Although usually seen in the reproductive period, it may be encountered during the postmenopausal period. A 56-year-old woman who had given her last birth 21 years ago presented to the hospital with a complaint of postmenopausal bleeding. She had a history of eight live pregnancies and had been in menopause for 4 years. With the help of typical histopathologic and immunohistochemical findings, a diagnosis of "epithelioid trophoblastic tumor" was made. The diagnosis was made at an advanced age and the case had extraordinary features such as high mitotic activity and Ki-67 proliferation index (70%). Gestational trophoblastic neoplasms are rare causes of postmenopausal bleeding which may cause differential diagnosis problem. They should be kept in mind even if the patient age does not comply with because of the differences in treatment.

Surgery and Platinum/Etoposide-Based Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Epithelioid Trophoblastic Tumor

OBJECTIVE

Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT) is a rare variant of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia that develops from chorionic-type intermediate trophoblast, simulates carcinoma, presents years after a pregnancy event, is associated with low or normal human chorionic gonadotropin levels, and is relatively resistant to chemotherapy. Our aim was to identify the role of surgery in combination with platinum/etoposide-based chemotherapy in the management of both localized and metastatic ETT.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of women with ETT treated at a gestational trophoblastic disease center from 2010 to 2016.

RESULTS

Five patients were identified who had complete records. Mean age was 38.0 years. Three women presented with abnormal uterine bleeding, 2 women presented with respiratory complaints, and 1 woman was asymptomatic. Two women had no identifiable antecedent pregnancy, 2 women had spontaneous abortions, and 1 woman had a normal term delivery before diagnosis. Four (80%) of 5 women had metastatic pulmonary disease. All 5 women underwent hysterectomy, and 3 women had resection of metastatic pulmonary disease. The 4 women with metastatic disease were also treated with chemotherapy. All 5 women are currently without evidence of disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgery, including hysterectomy and resection of metastatic disease, is an important component in the treatment of women with ETT. Adjuvant chemotherapy with a platinum/etoposide-containing regimen should be used in women with metastatic disease. All 5 women with ETT in this series were cured using this approach, including the 4 who had metastatic disease.

Epithelioid Trophoblastic Tumors: Treatments, Outcomes, and Potential Therapeutic Targets

Background: Epithelioid trophoblastic tumors (ETTs) are the rarest type of gestational trophoblastic neoplasias. We investigated the clinical features, treatments, outcomes, and prognostic factors in patients with ETT, and explored potential therapeutic targets. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features, treatments, survival, and prognostic factors of 21 ETT patients treated at our institution between January 2002 and December 2017. Expression levels of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), PD-1 ligands (PD-L1and PD-L2), B7 family ligands (B7-H3, B7-H4, V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation [VISTA], and B7-H6), and CD105 expression were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Results: Fourteen patients with ETT (66.7%) presented with irregular vaginal bleeding. Three stage I patients (14.3%) with normal β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β- hCG) levels underwent hysterectomy alone. Of the remaining 18 patients who had elevated β-hCG levels (85.7%), 1 received chemotherapy and 17 underwent surgery and multi-agent chemotherapy. After treatment, 17 patients (81.0%) achieved complete remission (2 of whom [11.8%] later relapsed) and 4 (19.0%) with stage IV died of their disease. On univariate and multivariate analyses, stage IV disease was an independent prognostic factor for overall and disease-free survival (P < 0.001). PD-L1, B7-H3, and CD105 were detected in 100% of samples, PD-L2 and VISTA in 82%, B7-H6 in 18%, and B7-H4 was undetectable in ETT cells. Conclusions: Hysterectomy and metastatic lesion resection are essential for controlling ETT. Surgery plus chemotherapy are recommended for patients with abnormal β-hCG levels and metastatic disease. PD-L1, PD-L2, B7-H3, VISTA and CD105 are potential therapeutic targets for metastatic ETT.

Management and prognostic factors of epithelioid trophoblastic tumors: Results from the International Society for the Study of Trophoblastic Diseases database

OBJECTIVE

Epithelioid Trophoblastic Tumor (ETT) is an extremely rare form of Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia (GTN). Knowledge on prognostic factors and optimal management is limited. We identified prognostic factors, optimal treatment, and outcome from the world's largest case series of patients with ETT.

METHODS

Patients were selected from the international Placental Site Trophoblastic Tumor (PSTT) and ETT database. Fifty-four patients diagnosed with ETT or mixed PSTT/ETT between 2001 and 2016 were included. Cox regression analysis was used to identify prognostic factors for overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Forty-five patients with ETT and 9 patients with PSTT/ETT were included. Thirty-six patients had FIGO stage I and 18 had stages II-IV disease. Patients were treated with surgery (n = 23), chemotherapy (n = 6), or a combination of surgery and chemotherapy (n = 25). In total, 39 patients survived, including 22 patients with complete sustained hCG remission for at least 1 year. Patients treated with surgery as first line treatment had early-stage disease and all survived. Most patients treated with chemotherapy with or without surgery had FIGO stages II-IV disease (55%). They underwent multiple lines of chemotherapy. Eleven of them did not survive. Interval since antecedent pregnancy and FIGO stage were prognostic factors of OS (p = 0.012; p = 0.023 respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Advanced-stage disease and an interval of ≥48 months since the antecedent pregnancy are poor prognostic factors of ETT. Surgery seems adequate for early-stage disease with a shorter interval. Advanced-stage disease requires a combination of treatment modalities. Because of its rarity, ETT should be treated in a centre with experience in GTN.

Gestational Trophoblastic Tumors: A Timely Review of Diagnostic Pathology

CONTEXT.—

Gestational trophoblastic tumors include 3 distinct entities: gestational choriocarcinoma, placental site trophoblastic tumor, and epithelioid trophoblastic tumor. Accurate diagnosis is important for clinical management of the patient.

OBJECTIVE.—

To review clinical features and pathologic diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic tumors.

DATA SOURCES.—

Literature and personal experience are the sources for this study.

CONCLUSIONS.—

Trophoblastic tumors are rare encounters in modern medicine, as a result of clinical practice of molar surveillance programs and early chemotherapeutic intervention for persistent gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. Diagnostic recognition of these tumors requires a high index of suspicion, awareness of their histologic characteristics, and appropriate application of immunohistochemical and molecular biomarkers. Recent attention has been given to a few precursor lesions of gestational trophoblastic tumors, including early/in situ choriocarcinoma and atypical placental site nodule.

Insights into dovetailing GTD and Cancers

Gestational trophoblastic diseases (GTD) encompass a group of placental tumors which mostly arise due to certain fertilization defects, resulting in the over-proliferation of trophoblasts. The major characteristic of this diseased state is that β-hCG rises up manifold than that is observed during pregnancy. The incidence of GTD when analyzed on a global scale, figures out that there is a greater risk in South-East Asia, the reason of which remains unclear. An insight into any possible correlation of GTD incidence with cancers, other than choriocarcinoma, is being attempted here. Also, we review the recent developments in research on the molecular etiopathology of GTD. This review would render a wider eye towards a new paradigm of thoughts to connect GTD and breast cancer, which has not been into the picture till date.

Placental site trophoblastic tumors and epithelioid trophoblastic tumors: Biology, natural history, and treatment modalities

Placental site (PSTT) and epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT) are rare types of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) that arise from intermediate trophoblast. Given that this cell of origin is different from other forms of GTN, it is not surprising that the clinical presentation, tumor marker profile, and treatment paradigm for PSTT and ETT are quite different as well. The mainstay for therapy for stage I PSTT and ETT is hysterectomy with adjuvant chemotherapy reserved for those presenting greater than four years from the antecedent pregnancy. Surgery is also important for metastatic disease. There is no standardized chemotherapy regimen for advanced stage disease but often consists of a platinum-containing combination therapy, usually EMA-EP or TE/TP. Despite its rarity, PSTT and ETT account for a disproportionate percentage of mortality from GTN likely resulting from their relative chemotherapy resistance. Novel therapeutic modalities therefore are needed to improve the outcomes of women with advanced stage or resistant PSTT and ETT.

Macroscopic deciduosis in pregnancy is finally a common entity

OBJECTIVE

The primary aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of macroscopic deciduosis Found randomly in Cesarean sections and the secondary objective to determine the association with any obstetrical complications or adverse effects.

METHODS

This is a unicenter prospective study from 01/08/2011 to 01/02/2014. During the study period 307 consecutive Cesarean sections were performed with 31 biopsy proven cases of macroscopic deciduosis in the ovary, uterine and fallopian tube serosa.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 31.2 ± 5.4 years (range 13-43), the mean Body Mass Index was 26.3 ± 5.8 (range 15-48)kg/m(2), the mean term of Cesarean was 270 ± 25 days, and the mean fetal weight was 3094 ± 809 g. The majority of patients were Caucasian (n=175, 57.0%). Patients with deciduosis had a greater BMI (28.4 ± 5.3 kg/m(2) vs 25.7 ± 5.8 kg/m(2), p<0.05). The presence of pain was more frequent in the deciduosis group (10.1%, OR 5.78, 95%, CI [2.41-13.87], p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Deciduosis is a benign lesion during pregnancy that is not correlated with obstetrical complications. Our study has shown that this physiological phenomenon is more frequent that originally thought, being present in 10% of the Cesarean sections, and is associated with abdominal pain during pregnancy.

Mixed germ cell tumor with embryonal carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, and epithelioid trophoblastic tumor in the ovary of a cynomolgus monkey

A seven-year-old female cynomolgus monkey had a mass in the left ovary with metastasis to the lung and the right ovary. The mass of these organs showed three different characteristics, and its immunohistochemical profiles were consistent with embryonal carcinoma (EC), choriocarcinoma (CC), and epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT). The EC was characterized with sheets and glandlike structures with large pleomorphic, single-nucleated epithelial cells that were immunohistochemically positive for α-fetoprotein, octamer-4, and CD30, and with multinucleated giant cells resembling syncytiotrophoblasts. The CC also represented biphasic proliferation of the cytotrophoblast positive for cytokeratin 7 (CK7), which showed negative immunoreactivity for all three of the above antibodies, and it was syncytiotrophoblast positive for human chorionic gonadotropin. The ETT showed numerous floating cells in an abundant eosinophilic extracellular matrix with vacuolated or eosinophilic cytoplasm and was immunohistochemically positive for CK7, p63, and α-inhibin, which features nodule or cordlike structures. Collectively, this neoplasm was identified as a mixed germ cell tumor with EC, CC, and ETT. To our knowledge, this is the first report of EC in nonhuman primates as a component of mixed germ cell tumor.

Gestational trophoblastic disease I: epidemiology, pathology, clinical presentation and diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic disease, and management of hydatidiform mole

Gestational trophoblastic disease includes hydatidiform mole (complete and partial) and gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (invasive mole, choriocarcinoma, placental site trophoblastic tumor, and epithelioid trophoblastic tumor). The epidemiology, pathology, clinical presentation, and diagnosis of each of these trophoblastic disease variants are discussed. Particular emphasis is given to management of hydatidiform mole, including evacuation, twin mole/normal fetus pregnancy, prophylactic chemotherapy, and follow-up.

Metastatic epithelioid trophoblastic tumor involving the spine

STUDY DESIGN

This is a single case-based report.

OBJECTIVE

We report the first case of epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT) presenting as primary metastasis to the spine.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

ETT is an extremely rare form of gestational trophoblastic neoplasm with less than 100 cases reported in the literature. A 36-year-old, postpartum woman presented with severe low back pain and was found to have a contrast-enhancing lesion in lower thoracic spine subsequently confirmed as ETT.

METHODS

The patient data, history, clinical examination findings, laboratory, and histopathology data and imaging studies were retrospectively reviewed and findings reported. A literature search using Pubmed and Cochrane database was conducted.

RESULT

We described the first case of an ETT to present as a primary metastasis to the spine.

CONCLUSION

This first report of metastasis of ETT to the spine adds significant new information to the growing literature of this rare and newly identified tumor. It also alerts the neurosurgeon into considering the diagnosis with appropriate clinical presentation. As more number of cases of nervous system involvement with this tumor are reported, crucial information on prognostic factors and treatment regimens will emerge.