[Single methotrexate chemotherapy for low-risk gestational trophoblastic tumor].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy and toxicity of methotrexate (MTX) give intravenously in the primary treatment of gestational trophoblastic tumor (GTT).


METHODS
A total of 37 patients with low-risk GTT was primarily treated by single MTX in Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University. Data on the patients' age, clinical stage, WHO classification criteria, antecedent pregnancy, presenting level of human chorionic gonadotropin, courses of chemotherapy required to achieve complete remission, and toxicity related to chemotherapy treatments were collected.


RESULTS
Thirty-seven patients with low-risk GTT totally received 137 cycles of MTX between Oct. 1999 and Sep. 2002, 34 patients (91.9%) achieved complete remission. Twenty-nine patients received multiple courses of MTX, complete remission was induced in 26 patients (89.7%). The complete response rates of I stage and III stage were 100.0% and 70.0% (P = 0.03) respectively in patients who were received multiple courses of MTX. However, eight patients received single course of chemotherapy, 7 patients achieved complete remission, and 1 achieved complete remission after another additional course of MTX was conducted. Grade III side effects (WHO criteria) only appeared in 7 courses (5.1%) during MTX treatment. Follow-up data showed that only one patient with single course of chemotherapy relapsed after 6 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Single MTX chemotherapy may be effective and well tolerated for low-risk GTT.
Lu
Wei-guo
WG
Department of Oncology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China.
Ding
Zhi-ming
ZM
Xie
Xing
X
Ye
Da-feng
DF
Chen
Huai-zeng
HZ
Feng
Su-wen
SW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D031901:Gestational Trophoblastic Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D008727:Methotrexate