[Therapeutic evaluation of cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin chemotherapy regimen in high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of combination chemotherapy with bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin (BEP) regimen on the patients with high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN).

METHODS: Forty-two patients with high-risk GTN admitted in Sichuan Cancer Hospital between Jan.1997 and Oct. 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) prognostic score of all patients was more than 7. The mean age of patients was 30.2 years (range 20 - 49 years). All patients were treated with more than two cycles BEP regimen and followed up to the patients' death or at the end of Feb.2012. The clinical response, toxicity and the occurrence of secondary tumors were investigated.

RESULTS: Forty-two high-risk GTN patients received the total of 251 courses of the BEP regimen, the average number of courses for each patient was 6.0 courses. Thirty-seven patients achieved complete remission and 5 patients showed drug-resistant. The total complete remission rate of BEP regimen was 88% (37/42). Among the complete remission patients, the total courses of BEP regimen of cases getting normal serum β-hCG level was 129 courses (average 3.5 courses), and the total courses of cases achieving complete remission was 227 courses (average 6.1 courses). Among the 37 complete remission patients, 31 cases were treated with BEP regimen chemotherapy alone, 4 patients with BEP regimen chemotherapy combined with surgical treatment (1 case had no cancer after surgery) and 2 cases with BEP regimen chemotherapy combined with radiation therapy. Therefore, the complete remission rate of BEP regimen chemotherapy alone was 74% (31/42). There were 5 patients who showed drug-resistance after 24 courses of BEP regimen chemotherapy (average 4.8 courses), then received etoposide, methotrexate and dactinomycin (EMA)/cyclophosphamide and vincristine sulfate (CO) regimen chemotherapy after drug-resistance, 2 cases combined with radiation therapy, 1 case combined with surgical treatment. Ultimately, 4 cases achieved complete remission, 1 case died of cancer. The major toxicities of BEP regimen were included bone marrow suppression, digestive tract side effect and alopecic, followed by mild peripheral neuritis and abnormal liver function, rare cases of mild pulmonary toxicity. There were no severe anaphylaxis and obvious impairment of cardiac, liver, pulmonary and kidney function, except 1 patient (49 years old) had grade IV bone marrow suppression and pulmonary fibrosis worsened after chemotherapy. The bone marrow suppression was mainly I-III degree neutropenia, and Incidence rate was 66.5% (167/251). All the survival patients without secondary tumor.

CONCLUSION: For young high-risk GTN patients, BEP regimen chemotherapy may be safe and effective.