Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of surgical resection on survival outcome in patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia with pulmonary metastatic disease. Medical records of 62 patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia who underwent pulmonary lobectomy or limited resection were reviewed. The cases were divided into 3 groups, namely, the recurrent group (group A), the drug-resistant group (group B), and the group with satisfactory response to chemotherapy but with residual pulmonary lesion (group C). The proportion of high-risk patients was significantly lower in group C, whereas this group had a remarkable complete remission rate of 100% with no relapse recorded, and only 3 patients (12.0%) in this group had a positive histologic diagnosis. The complete remission rates of groups A and B were 88.9% and 78.6%, respectively, and the relapse rates were 14.3% and 15.0%, respectively. By comparing treatment failure cases with patients who achieved complete remission, factors that might affect the clinical outcome of pulmonary surgery were also analyzed. Patients who have received more than 4 regimens or 13 courses of preoperative chemotherapy seemed to have unfavorable prognosis (P < 0.05). Follow-ups could be carried out without surgical resection for patients with satisfactory response to chemotherapy but with residual pulmonary lesions. Pulmonary surgery is indicated when clinical evidence suggests that pulmonary metastatic disease causes relapse or drug-resistance and the lesions are relatively localized. However, surgery is not advisable for patients who received more than 4 regimens or 13 courses of preoperative chemotherapy.