gestational trophoblastic disease
Meaning of gestational trophoblastic disease: Gestational trophoblastic disease is a group of rare tumors that develop from placental tissue after conception, ranging from benign to cancerous.
Definition of gestational trophoblastic disease
Gestational trophoblastic disease refers to a group of rare growths that develop from trophoblastic cells, the cells that normally help an embryo implant in the uterus and form the placenta. These growths develop following conception and are unusual among tumors in that they arise from tissue related to pregnancy rather than from the parent's own tissue directly.
The group includes hydatidiform mole, a generally benign overgrowth of placental tissue, as well as several malignant forms, including choriocarcinoma, that can invade the uterus and spread to other organs. The specific type influences how the condition behaves and how closely it needs to be followed.
Because these growths originate from pregnancy related tissue, a hormone normally produced during pregnancy, human chorionic gonadotropin, is used to help diagnose the condition and to monitor whether treatment has been effective, since levels are expected to fall once the abnormal tissue is fully treated.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
Rising hormone levels after the pregnancy prompted evaluation for gestational trophoblastic disease.
Good to know
Gestational trophoblastic disease ranges from the generally benign hydatidiform mole to malignant forms such as choriocarcinoma, a distinction that determines whether the condition requires only monitoring or more extensive cancer treatment.
Word origin
Where “gestational trophoblastic disease” comes from
Formed from Greek trophe, meaning nourishment, and blastos, meaning germ or sprout, describing the cells that nourish and support an implanting embryo.