OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether a desire for pregnancy changed after etoposide, methotrexate, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide and vincristine (EMA/CO) treatment for gestational trophoblastic disease and whether the incidence of infertility and adverse pregnancy outcome differed from the general population. DESIGN: A cohort study was performed. Data were collected from hospital records and questionnaires. SETTING: The study was carried out in referral hospitals in The Netherlands. POPULATION: All women registered by the Dutch Working Party on Trophoblastic Disease and treated with EMA/CO were included. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to all surviving patients treated with EMA/CO from 1986 until 1997. Women who underwent a hysterectomy were excluded from the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Pregnancy outcome and pregnancy wish after chemotherapy. RESULTS: Fifty patients were treated with EMA/CO. In 86%, a complete remission was achieved. A questionnaire was sent to 33 patients. Response rate was 82% (27/33). After EMA/CO, 18 of the patients experienced a regular menstrual cycle. Three patients had an amenorrhoea. Fourteen patients had a pregnancy wish. Twelve patients conceived; 21 pregnancies occurred. Sixteen pregnancies were term deliveries. Two pregnancies ended in a miscarriage and two congenitally abnormal children were delivered prematurely. CONCLUSION: After EMA/CO, 86% of women with a pregnancy wish achieved pregnancy. However, women can be so anxious about a new pregnancy that they refrain from it. A causative relation between the two congenitally abnormal children and EMA/CO cannot be determined because of the small sample. The rate of miscarriages is not higher than in the general population. We can reassure patients that pregnancy after EMA/CO has a high probability of success and a favourable outcome. To diminish the fear of getting pregnant in some patients, psychosocial care should be considered in addition to medical care.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether a desire for pregnancy changed after etoposide, methotrexate, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide and vincristine (EMA/CO) treatment for gestational trophoblastic disease and whether the incidence of infertility and adverse pregnancy outcome differed from the general population. DESIGN: A cohort study was performed. Data were collected from hospital records and questionnaires. SETTING: The study was carried out in referral hospitals in The Netherlands. POPULATION: All women registered by the Dutch Working Party on Trophoblastic Disease and treated with EMA/CO were included. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to all surviving patients treated with EMA/CO from 1986 until 1997. Women who underwent a hysterectomy were excluded from the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Pregnancy outcome and pregnancy wish after chemotherapy. RESULTS: Fifty patients were treated with EMA/CO. In 86%, a complete remission was achieved. A questionnaire was sent to 33 patients. Response rate was 82% (27/33). After EMA/CO, 18 of the patients experienced a regular menstrual cycle. Three patients had an amenorrhoea. Fourteen patients had a pregnancy wish. Twelve patients conceived; 21 pregnancies occurred. Sixteen pregnancies were term deliveries. Two pregnancies ended in a miscarriage and two congenitally abnormal children were delivered prematurely. CONCLUSION: After EMA/CO, 86% of women with a pregnancy wish achieved pregnancy. However, women can be so anxious about a new pregnancy that they refrain from it. A causative relation between the two congenitally abnormal children and EMA/CO cannot be determined because of the small sample. The rate of miscarriages is not higher than in the general population. We can reassure patients that pregnancy after EMA/CO has a high probability of success and a favourable outcome. To diminish the fear of getting pregnant in some patients, psychosocial care should be considered in addition to medical care.
Authors: Brigitte Gerstl; Elizabeth Sullivan; Marcus Vallejo; Jana Koch; Maximilian Johnson; Handan Wand; Kate Webber; Angela Ives; Antoinette Anazodo Journal: J Cancer Surviv Date: 2019-04-17 Impact factor: 4.442