Update in cancer chemotherapy: genitourinary tract cancer, Part 7: Gestational trophoblastic neoplasms.

Part 7 of an update of the state of the art of cancer chemotherapy of the genitourinary tract is directed to the treatment of gestational trophoblastic neoplasms. Chemotherapy is the cornerstone of treatment for gestational trophoblastic neoplasms, as these tumors are generally highly curable with chemotherapy.In early stage disease, 40 percent of cases are cured with hysterectomy. In low-risk cases, single-agent methotrexate or dactinomycin provides cure rates of over 90 percent. In high-risk disease sequential methotrexate/dactinomycin, methotrexate plus dactinomycin plus cyclophosphamide or chlorambucil, or methotrexate plus 6-mercaptopurine, or a combination protocol consisting of cyclophosphamide, hydroxyurea, dactinomycin, methotrexate, vincristine (VCR), folinic acid, and doxorubicin (CHAMOCA) produce complete remission rates in 70 to 80 percent of patients. Newer studies are under way with etoposide (VP16), cisplatin, and investigational agents to determine whether better chemotherapy regimens can be developed.