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Treatment is always necessary.
The treatment for hydatidiform mole consists of the evacuation of pregnancy. Evacuation will lead to the relief of symptoms, and also prevent later complications. Suction curettage is the preferred method of evacuation. Hysterectomy is an alternative if no further pregnancies are wished for by the female patient. Hydatidiform mole also has successfully been treated with systemic (intravenous) methotrexate.
The treatment for invasive mole or choriocarcinoma generally is the same. Both are usually treated with chemotherapy. Methotrexate and dactinomycin are among the chemotherapy drugs used in GTD. Only a few women with GTD suffer from poor prognosis metastatic gestational trophoblastic disease. Their treatment usually includes chemotherapy. Radiotherapy can also be given to places where the cancer has spread, e.g. the brain.
Women who undergo chemotherapy are advised not to conceive for one year after completion of treatment. These women also are likely to have an earlier menopause. It has been estimated by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists that the age at menopause for women who receive single agent chemotherapy is advanced by 1 year, and by 3 years for women who receive multi agent chemotherapy.
The term «persistent trophoblastic disease» (PTD) is used when after treatment of a molar pregnancy, some molar tissue is left behind and again starts growing into a tumour. Although PTD can spread within the body like a malignant cancer, the overall cure rate is nearly 100%.
In the vast majority of patients, treatment of PTD consist of chemotherapy. Only about 10% of patients with PTD can be treated successfully with a second curettage.
The clinical management of a cyst of Montgomery depends upon the symptoms of the patient.
If there are no signs of infection, a cyst of Montgomery can be observed, because more than 80% resolve spontaneously, over only a few months. However, in some cases, spontaneous resolution may take up two years. In such cases, a repeat ultrasonography may become necessary. If, however, the patient has signs of an infection, for example reddening (erythema), warmth, pain and tenderness, a treatment for mastitis can be initiated, which may include antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). With treatment, inflammatory changes usually disappear quickly. In rare cases, drainage may become necessary. A surgical treatment of a cyst of Montgomery, i.e. a resection, may become necessary only if a cyst of Montgomery persists, or the diagnosis is questioned clinically.
The prognosis seems to be excellent. In one series, all adolescent patients with a cyst of Montgomery had a favourable outcome.
The most successful treatment for angiosarcoma is amputation of the affected limb if possible. Chemotherapy may be administered if there is metastatic disease. If there is no evidence of metastasis beyond the lymphedematous limb, adjuvant chemotherapy may be given anyway due to the possibility of micrometastatic disease. Evidence supporting the effectiveness of chemotherapy is, in many cases, unclear due to a wide variety of prognostic factors and small sample size. However, there is some evidence to suggest that drugs such as paclitaxel, doxorubicin, ifosfamide, and gemcitabine exhibit antitumor activity.
Simple surgical excision is curative. The recommended treatment is that the skin is peeled off the extra-auricular tissue and protruding cartilage remnants are trimmed. Normal appearance is achieved in majority of cases. The reconstruction successful in true cases of accessory auricle, as it also is in individuals with auricular appendages.
Although surgery is the treatment of choice, it must be preceded by imaging studies to exclude an intracranial connection. Potential complications include meningitis and a cerebrospinal fluid leak. Recurrences or more correctly persistence may be seen in up to 30% of patients if not completely excised.
The treatment for hemangioblastoma is surgical excision of the tumor. Although usually straightforward to carry out, recurrence of the tumor or more tumors at a different site develop in approximately 20% of patients. Gamma Knife Radiosurgery as well as LINAC have also been employed to successfully treat recurrence and control tumor growth of cerebellar hemangioblastomas.
PSN are benign. Once removed, they do not require any treatment and do not recur.
Treatment is varied and depends on the site and extent of tumor involvement, site(s) of metastasis, and specific individual factors. Surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy have all been used to treat these masses, although studies on survival have yet to be conducted to delineate various treatment regimens.
Although the origin of the disease is unknown, there is speculation that it is an aggressive healing response to small tears in the plantar fascia, almost as if the fascia over-repairs itself following an injury. There is also some evidence that it might be genetic.
In the early stages, when the nodule is single and/or smaller, it is recommended to avoid direct pressure to the nodule(s). Soft inner soles on footwear and padding may be helpful.
MRI and sonogram (diagnostic ultrasound) are effective in showing the extent of the lesion, but cannot reveal the tissue composition. Even then, recognition of the imaging characteristics of plantar fibromatoses can help in the clinical diagnosis.
Surgery of Ledderhose's disease is difficult because tendons, nerves, and muscles are located very closely to each other. Additionally, feet have to carry heavy load, and surgery might have unpleasant side effects. If surgery is performed, the biopsy is predominantly cellular and frequently misdiagnosed as fibrosarcoma. Since the diseased area (lesion) is not encapsulated, clinical margins are difficult to define. As such, portions of the diseased tissue may be left in the foot after surgery. Inadequate excision is the leading cause of recurrence.
Radiotherapy has been shown to reduce the size of the nodules and reduce the pain associated with them. It is approximately 80% effective, with minimal side-effects.
Post-surgical radiation treatment may decrease recurrence. There has also been variable success in preventing recurrence by administering gadolinium. Skin grafts have been shown to control recurrence of the disease.
In few cases shock waves also have been reported to at least reduce pain and enable walking again. Currently in the process of FDA approval is the injection of collagenase. Recently successful treatment of Ledderhose with cryosurgery (also called cryotherapy) has been reported.
Cortisone injections, such as Triamcinolone, and clobetasol ointments have been shown to stall the progression of the disease temporarily, although the results are subjective and large-scale studies far from complete. Injections of superoxide dismutase have proven to be unsuccessful in curing the disease while radiotherapy has been used successfully on Ledderhose nodules.
A placental site nodule, abbreviated PSN, is benign remnant from a previous pregnancy.
Because granuloma annulare is usually asymptomatic and self-limiting with a course of about 2 years, initial treatment is generally topical steroid creams, followed by oral steroids and finally intradermal injections at the site of each ring. Treatment success varies widely, with most patients finding only brief success with the above-mentioned treatments. New research out of India suggests that the combination of rifampin (600 mg), ofloxacin (400 mg), and minocycline hydrochloride (100 mg) once monthly, or ROM therapy, produces promising results. Most lesions of granuloma annulare disappear in pre-pubertal patients with no treatment within two years while older patients (50+) have rings for upwards of 20 years. The appearance of new rings years later is not uncommon.
The most accepted way to treat PG is with the use of corticosteroids, i.e. prednisone; and/or topical steroids, i.e. clobetasol and betamethasone. Suppressing the immune system with corticosteroids helps by decreasing the number of antibodies attacking the skin. Treating PG can be difficult and can take several months. Some cases of PG persist for many years. In the" post partum" period, if necessary, the full range of immunosuppressive treatment may be administered for cases unresponsive to corticosteroid treatments, such as tetracyclines, nicotinamide, cyclophosphamide, ciclosporin, goserelin, azathioprine, dapsone, rituximumab, or plasmaphoresis, or intravenous immunoglobulin may sometimes be considered when the symptoms are severe.
There is no cure for PG. Women who have PG are considered in remission if they are no longer blistering. Remission can last indefinitely, or until a subsequent pregnancy. PG usually occurs in subsequent pregnancies; however, it often seems more manageable because it is anticipated.
Most patients with thyroid adenoma can be managed by watchful waiting (without surgical excision) with regular monitoring. However, some patients still choose surgery after being fully informed of the risks. Regular monitoring mainly consists of watching for changes in nodule size and symptoms, and repeat ultrasonography or needle aspiration biopsy if the nodule grows.
Placental site trophoblastic tumor is a form of gestational trophoblastic disease, which is thought to arise from intermediate trophoblast.
It may secrete human placental lactogen (human chorionic somatomammotropin), and result in a false-positive pregnancy test.
Placental site trophoblastic tumor is a monophasic neoplasm of the implantation site intermediate trophoblast, and usually a benign lesion, which comprises less than 2% of all gestational trophoblastic proliferations. Preceding conditions include molar pregnancy (5%). Compared to choriocarcinoma or invasive mole, hemorrhage is less conspicuous and serum β-HCG level is low, making early diagnosis difficult.
Immunohistochemistry: Often stains with hPL, keratin, Mel-CAM, EGFR.
Prognosis: 10–20% of cases metastase leading to death.
Treatment: Because chemotherapy is ineffective; the patient should undergo hysterectomy.
The first step in management of uterine atony is uterine massage. The next step is pharmacological therapies, the first of which is oxytocin, used because it initiates rhythmic contractions of the uterus, compressing the spiral arteries which should reduce bleeding. The next step in the pharmacological management is the use of methylergometrine, which is an ergot derivative, much like that use in the abortive treatment of migraines. Its side effect of hypertension means its use should not be used in those with hypertension or pre-eclampsia. In those with hypertension, the use of prostaglandin F is indicated (but beware of its use in patients with asthma).
Another option Carbetocin and Carboprost where Oxytocin and ergometrin is inappropriate.
The outcome for hemangioblastoma is very good, if surgical extraction of the tumor can be achieved; excision is possible in most cases and permanent neurologic deficit is uncommon and can be avoided altogether if the tumor is diagnosed and treated early. Persons with VHL syndrome have a bleaker prognosis than those who have sporadic tumors since those with VHL syndrome usually have more than one lesion.
Angiolipoleiomyoma is an acquired, solitary, asymptomatic acral nodule, characterized histologically by well-circumscribed subcutaneous tumors composed of smooth muscle cells, blood vessels, connective tissue, and fat.
A papillary hidradenoma, also hidradenoma papilliferum, is a sharply circumscribed nodule or benign tumor of the apocrine gland usually found on the labia majora or the interlabial folds. It is benign tissue (not cancerous) but is often confused clinically with carcinoma of the vulva because of its tendency to ulcerate.
Angiolipoma is a subcutaneous nodule with vascular structure, having all other features of a typical lipoma. They are commonly painful.
Colloid nodules, also known as adenomatous nodules or colloid nodular goiter are benign, noncancerous enlargement of thyroid tissue. Although they may grow large, and there may be more than one, they are not malignant and they will not spread beyond the thyroid gland. Colloid nodules are the most common kind of thyroid nodule.
Treatment may be delivery by caesarean section and abdominal hysterectomy if placenta accreta is diagnosed before birth. Oxytocin and antibiotics are used for post-surgical management. When there is partially separated placenta with focal accreta, best option is removal of placenta. If it is important to save the woman's uterus (for future pregnancies) then resection around the placenta may be successful. Conservative treatment can also be uterus sparing but may not be as successful and has a higher risk of complications.
Techniques include:
- Leaving the placenta in the uterus and curettage of uterus. Methotrexate has been used in this case.
- Intrauterine balloon catheterisation to compress blood vessels
- Embolisation of pelvic vessels
- Internal iliac artery ligation
- Bilateral uterine artery ligation
In cases where there is invasion of placental tissue and blood vessels into the bladder, it is treated in similar manner to abdominal pregnancy and manual placental removal is avoided. However, this may eventually need hysterectomy and/or partial cystectomy.
If the patient decides to proceed with a vaginal delivery, blood products for transfusion and an anesthesiologist are kept ready at delivery.
Microcystic adnexal carcinoma (also known as sclerosing sweat duct carcinoma) is a cutaneous condition characterized by a slow-growing plaque or nodule.
Levothyroxine is a stereoisomer of thyroxine which is degraded much slower and can be administered once daily in patients with hypothyroidism.
Trophoblastic neoplasms derive from trophoblastic tissue. Examples include:
- Choriocarcinoma
- Hydatidiform mole