Can the FIGO 2000 scoring system for gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) be simplified? A new retrospective analysis from a nationwide data-set

Background: Worldwide introduction of the FIGO 2000 scoring system has provided an effective means to stratify patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) to single- or multi-agent chemotherapy. However, the system is quite elaborate with an extensive set of risk factors. In this study, we re-evaluate all prognostic risk factors involved in the FIGO 2000 scoring system and examine if simplification is feasible. Patients and methods: Between January 2003 and December 2012, 813 patients diagnosed with GTN were identified at the Trophoblastic Disease Centre in London and scored using the FIGO 2000. Multivariable analysis and stepwise logistic regression were carried out to evaluate if the FIGO 2000 scoring system could be simplified. Results: Of the eight FIGO risk factors only pre-treatment serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels exceeding 10,000 IU/l (OR = 5.0; CI 2.5-10.4) and 100,000 IU/l (OR = 14.3; CI 4.7-44.1), interval exceeding 7 months since antecedent pregnancy (OR = 4.1; CI 1.0-16.2) and tumor size of over 5 cm (OR = 2.2; CI 1.3-3.6) were identified as independently predictive for single-agent resistance. In addition, increased risk was apparent for antecedent term pregnancy (OR = 3.4; CI 0.9-12.7) and the presence of 5 or more metastases (OR = 3.5; CI 0.4-30.4), but patient numbers in these categories were relatively small. Stepwise logistic regression identified a simplified risk scoring model comprising age, pre-treatment serum hCG, number of metastases, antecedent pregnancy and interval but omitting tumor size, previous failed chemotherapy and site of metastases. With this model only 1 of 725 patients was classified differently from the FIGO 2000 system. Conclusion: Our simplified alternative using only five of the FIGO prognostic factors appears to be an accurate system for discriminating patients requiring single as opposed to multi-agent chemotherapy. Further work is urgently needed to validate these findings

Plasminogen activator system in serum and amniotic fluid of euploid and aneuploid pregnancies

OBJECTIVE: To compare euploid and aneuploid pregnancies with respect to maternal serum and amniotic fluid (AF) levels of the components of the plasminogen system. METHODS: The study population consisted of 123 single pregnancies at the 17th gestational week, 16 with minor chromosomal abnormalities, 15 aneuploid, and 92 euploid. RESULTS: Both groups with chromosomal abnormalities had significantly higher serum levels of urokinase plasminogen activator and its complexed form with its type-1 inhibitor compared with euploid pregnancies. In AF, tissue plasminogen activator was significantly lower in the aneuploid than the euploid group, whereas type-1 inhibitor of plasminogen activator was significantly higher in the cases with minor chromosomal abnormalities compared with euploid. At cutoff levels set at 100% sensitivity, the complexed form of urokinase plasminogen activator with its type-1 inhibitor had the strongest specificity (66.3%); after logarithmic transformation, its serum level was 7.53 times higher in aneuploidies than euploidies. CONCLUSION: Aneuploid pregnancies appear to be accompanied by abnormalities of the plasminogen activation system, which could lead to impaired placental perfusion and thus to abortion, fetal death, and fetal growth restriction