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A gestational trophoblastic tumor is a rare disease in which cancer cells grow in the tissues that are formed in the uterus after fertilization.
A gestational trophoblastic tumor begins in the uterus after the meeting of sperm and egg, but the product of conception is not capable of developing into a fetus.
The following represent the most common types of this gynecologic cancer.
Certain factors may increase your risk of developing a gestational trophoblastic tumor, including:
Learn more about gynecologic cancer prevention and screening.
Symptoms of a gestational trophoblastic tumor may include:
Specialists at the Magee-Womens Gynecologic Cancer Program use a variety of tests to diagnose and screen for gestational trophoblastic tumors, including:
If you're diagnosed with a gestational trophoblastic tumor, your treatment will depend on the following factors:
Your doctors and other specialists at the Magee-Womens Gynecologic Cancer Program will work with you to consider your options and determine a course of action.
Surgery is often the recommended treatment for gestational trophoblastic tumors.
In selective circumstances, we may recommend chemotherapy — before (neo adjuvant) or after (adjuvant) surgery — to control an aggressive cancer or to reduce the risk of recurrence.
The use of chemotherapy treatment depends on:
We may also use radiation therapy to treat a gestational trophoblastic tumor.
As a patient of the Gynecologic Cancer Program, you have access to additional treatment options and services, including: