¹Department of Health Charing Cross Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Centre, Hammersmith Hospitals Campus of Imperial College London, Palace Rd, London W68RF, UK

Correspondence: Professor MJ Seckl, E-mail: m.seckl@imperial.ac.uk

Received 5 October 2005; Revised 10 November 2005; Accepted 14 November 2005; Published online 13 December 2005.

Abstract

The significance of residual lung metastasis from malignant gestational trophoblastic neoplasm (GTN) after the completion of chemotherapy is unknown. We currently do not advocate resection of these masses. Here, we investigate the outcome of these patients. Patients with residual lung abnormalities after the completion of treatment for GTN were compared to those who had a complete radiological resolution of the disease. None of the residual masses post-treatment were surgically removed. In all, 76 patients were identified. Overall 53 (70%) patients had no radiological abnormality on CXR or CT after completion of treatment. Eight (11%) patients had residual disease on CXR alone 15 patients had residual disease on CT (19%). During follow-up, two patients (2.6%) relapsed. One of these had had a complete radiological response post-treatment whereas the other had residual disease on CT. Patients with residual lung lesions after completing treatment for GTN do not appear to have an increased chance of relapse compared to those with no residual abnormality. We continue to recommend that these patients do not require pulmonary surgery for these lesions.