What comes into your mind at the mention of Chemotherapy?
This is what I experienced a year ago. The doctor told me that I had not conceived after testing positive for pregnancy.
Gestational Trophoblastic Disease (GTD) is a group of tumors that form during abnormal pregnancies. It is a rare condition that affects 1 in every 1000 pregnant women.
GTD tumors are malignant (cancerous) or have the potential to turn cancerous (Choriocarcinoma).
However, the majority are non-cancerous. It is also known as a molar pregnancy. The tumors develop when bits of tissue are left behind in the uterus after a miscarriage, an intended abortion, or the delivery of a baby.
Diagnosis.
It is diagnosed through an ultra-sound being sanctioned into the vaginal and testing for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) when the Beta HCG levels are above the normal range of cyclic women that is 0-4, and no pregnancy is detected, it is a sign of GTD.
Treatment.
In case the uterine wall has cells, the contents are removed by sanctioning of Dilation and Evacuation (D&E). In cases where no cells are visible but there is a high rise in HCG. In a span of a week, the patient is treated through chemotherapy.
A patient can undergo as many cycles as possible until the HCG levels go back to normal. The HCG levels are tested before the next cycle. The rise of HCG levels indicates that the molar pregnancy is malignant (cancerous), and will be called Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia (GTN) the good news is that even if the GTN has spread to other parts of the body, it is still highly curable.
The Stages of Malignant GTN are:
Stage 1: Cancer has not spread from the uterus to other structures in the pelvis.
Stage 2: Cancer has spread from the uterus to other structures in the pelvis.
Stage 3: Cancer has spread to the lungs.
Stage 4: Cancer has spread to other organs.
Follow-up Care.
After completion of chemotherapy, testing for HCG continues monthly for 12 months (24 months for patients with stage iv.
Patients should avoid pregnancy during this period. Oral contraception is safe.
Conceiving Again.
A woman can conceive again whenever they wish.
The risk of another molar is low.
More than 98% of women become pregnant and have normal pregnancies.
However, it is advisable to undergo an ultrasound exam at 10 weeks of gestation. One should also conceive after 12 months or 24 months for high risk.
An HCG test is recommended 6-8 weeks after delivery.
