Gestational trophoblastic disease

For patient information on Hydatiform mole, click here

For patient information on Choriocarcinoma, click here

Overview
Gestational trophoblastic disease, usually referred to as a mole, is a very rare abnormality of pregnancy in the reproductive female that involves abnormal trophoblast proliferation.

It is the result of a (purely chance) genetic error during the fertilization process that in turn causes the growth of abnormal tissue (which is not an embryo) within the uterus. The growth of this material is disproportionately rapid when compared to normal fetal growth.

Types
There are profound differences in pathological morphology and clinical behavior in various forms of GTD. Types include:


 * abnormal placenta, mostly due to abnormal fertilization
 * hydatidiform mole (HM)
 * frank malignant tumors of trophoblast
 * invasive mole, choriocarcinoma (CCA)
 * placental site trophoblastic tumor (PSTT)
 * epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT)
 * not true neoplasms, representing abnormally formed placentas
 * exaggerated placenta site (EPS)
 * placental site nodule (PSN)

Ciążowa choroba trofoblastyczna