What happens if you have gestational trophoblastic disease?
Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is the name for abnormal cells or tumours that start in the womb from cells that would normally develop into the placenta. They are extremely rare but can happen during or after pregnancy. Most are non cancerous (benign) but some are cancerous. They are different to womb cancer.
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Can you get pregnant with gestational trophoblastic disease?
Getting pregnant again after GTD It is safe to get pregnant after a GTD depending on the type of treatment you have had. If your only treatment was a D and C, you can usually try to get pregnant as soon as your hCG follow up is complete. If you became pregnant earlier you would have hCG in your blood and urine tests.
What are the three types of gestational trophoblastic disease?
Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a general term that includes different types of disease:
- Hydatidiform Moles (HM) Complete HM. Partial HM.
- Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia (GTN) Invasive moles. Choriocarcinomas. Placental-site trophoblastic tumors (PSTT; very rare).
Does gestational trophoblastic disease go away?
GTD is rare, affecting about one in every 1,000 pregnant women in the U.S. While some GTD tumors are malignant (cancerous) or have the potential to turn cancerous, the majority are benign (noncancerous). Many women treated for GTD can go on to have normal, healthy pregnancies in the future.
Is gestational trophoblastic disease painful?
More rarely, women with advanced GTD may have severe abdominal pain, shortness of breath, or headache/dizziness. There are risk factors that are known to be associated with an increased likelihood of developing GTD. These include: Prior molar pregnancy.
Can trophoblastic tumors spread?
Placental-site trophoblastic tumor (PSTT). It starts where the placenta joins with the uterus. This type of tumor grows slowly, but it can eventually spread to the uterine muscle, nearby blood vessels, and lymph nodes, pelvis, or lungs.
Is GTD curable?
GTD is typically curable, especially when found early. The main treatments for GTD are surgery and/or chemotherapy. The common types of treatments used for GTD are described below. Your care plan may include treatment for symptoms and side effects, an important part of medical care.
What are the most common symptoms of gestational trophoblastic disease?
Gestational Trophoblastic Disease: Symptoms and Signs
- Abdominal swelling.
- Anemia, which is a low red blood cell count that can cause fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, or an irregular heartbeat.
- Anxiety or irritability, including feeling shaky or experiencing severe sweating.
- Sleep problems.
- Unexplained weight loss.
What is the cause of gestational trophoblastic disease?
Causes of Gestational Trophoblastic Disease The most common types of gestational trophoblastic disease occur when a sperm cell fertilizes an empty egg cell or when two sperm cells fertilize a normal egg cell. Your risk is higher based on your: Age: Gestational trophoblastic disease occurs in women of childbearing age.
How is gestational trophoblastic treated?
Most GTD can be cured by chemotherapy even if it is advanced. Chemotherapy is a standard treatment for gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). It may be given as the main treatment, after surgery or if the GTN comes back (recurs) after treatment.
How is gestational trophoblastic disease diagnosed?
To diagnose a GTD tumor, your doctor will ask you about your medical history, any symptoms you may be experiencing, as well as perform a physical examination. Your doctor will order a urine pregnancy test and a blood test to measure human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a hormone produced during pregnancy.
How is GTD diagnosed?
In addition to a physical examination, the following tests may be used to diagnose GTD:
- Pelvic examination.
- Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) test.
- Other lab tests.
- Ultrasound.
- X-ray.
- Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
How is trophoblastic disease diagnosed?
Screening for Gestational Trophoblastic Disease CA-125 blood test: A blood test to determine if a tumor is present in your body. Serum tumor marker test: A blood test to measure the amount of beta human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) in the body. This is a hormone that the body makes during pregnancy.
What are symptoms of high hCG?
In the first 2 weeks, women may experience light spotting, breast soreness, mood swings, nausea, or bloating. These symptoms are due to an increase in an important hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).
What causes GTD?
Causes of Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Age: Gestational trophoblastic disease occurs in women of childbearing age. History of molar pregnancy. Prior miscarriage(s) or problems getting pregnant.
What is gestational trophoblastic?
Normally, cells on the inside of this group grow into a fetus. Cells on the outside turn into the placenta, which passes nutrients from mother to baby. Those outside cells are called trophoblast cells. Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is the name for a rare group of tumors made up of trophoblast cells.
What does 25 mIU mL mean?
An hCG level of less than 5 mIU/mL is considered negative for pregnancy, and anything above 25 mIU/mL is considered positive for pregnancy. An hCG level between 6 and 24 mIU/mL is considered a grey area, and you’ll likely need to be retested to see if your levels rise to confirm a pregnancy.
What is a good hCG level?
Normal Results Results are given in milli-international units per milliliter (mUI/mL). Normal levels are found in: Non-pregnant women: less than 5 mIU/mL. Healthy men: less than 2 mIU/mL.