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About the center of expertise

In our nationally - and even internationally - recognized expertise center, women with (possible) gestational trophoblastic disease can turn to us for advice, research, and possible treatment. Gestational trophoblastic diseases is a group of disorders that arise in the trophoblast. Trophoblast cells are the cells that form the placenta.
 
For many years, we have performed the hCG pregnancy hormone determination for this disorder for the entire country. Patients are also registered in our national molar registration.

Molar pregnancy

During a healthy pregnancy, an embryo (the future baby) and a placenta arise from the fertilized egg. However, in rare cases something can go wrong during or shortly after fertilization, causing the embryo to stop growing, while the placenta continues to grow. As a result, many small blisters fill the uterine cavity. This condition is called a molar pregnancy. A molar pregnancy is in itself a benign condition. As many as possible molar cysts will be removed from the uterine cavity, if it turns out that the embryo is no longer viable,  The body itself usually removes the remaining cysts.

Trophoblast tumor

Sometimes, however, the molar cysts do not go away or even start growing again. This happens to 10-15% of the women who had a molar pregnancy. In this case, there is a persistent trophoblast (permanent molar tissue) or trophoblast tumor. These are malignant cells. In about half of the women, these spread via the blood to the lungs. In rare cases, the malignant cells spread to the vagina, brain or liver. A trophoblast tumor usually occurs after a molar pregnancy, but can also occur after a miscarriage or an otherwise healthy pregnancy.
 
The trophoblast tumor is rare: this condition is diagnosed in about thirty women in the Netherlands every year.

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Centers of expertise Centers of expertise Gestational trophoblastic disease

About the center of expertise

The center Gestational trophoblastic disease, a nationally and internationally recognized expertise center, offers advice, research and possible treatment for women with (possible) gestational trophoblastic disease. read more

Contact

Phone number +31 (0)24 361 66 83

International patients

Everything you need to know as a foreign patient. Especially if you are not insured through the Dutch health care law.

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Our expertise

Radboudumc has extensive experience in patient care and scientific research in the field of gestational trophoblastic diseases, a group of syndromes that arise in the placenta. Radboudumc’s center of expertise in gestational trophoblastic diseases was established in 2015. read more
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Our expertise

Radboudumc has extensive experience in patient care and scientific research in the field of gestational trophoblastic diseases, a group of syndromes that arise in the placenta. Radboudumc’s center of expertise in gestational trophoblastic diseases was established in 2015.
 
Radboudumc’s center of expertise in gestational trophoblastic diseases is a collaboration between doctors and other healthcare providers from various Radboudumc departments. An important task is advising all Dutch gynecologists who counsel patients with a gestational trophoblastic disease. We also try to keep the lines of communication with the doctors in a patient's vicinity open as much as possible.
 
The Netherlands has had a registration system for gestational trophoblastic diseases since 1975. The central molar registration is located at Radboudumc, as well as the national reference laboratory for provisions of the hCG (a pregnancy hormone). Every molar pregnancy must be reported and registered here.
 
Our specialists are in close contact with their colleagues elsewhere in the world, which keeps our knowledge and skills in the field of gestational trophoblastic diseases up to date.
 
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport has acknowledged the center of expertise in gestational trophoblastic diseases.

Molar registration

The Netherlands has had a registration system for gestational trophoblastic diseases since 1975. Every molar pregnancy must be reported and registered here. read more
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Molar registration

The Netherlands has had a registration system for gestational trophoblastic diseases since 1975. The central molar registration is located at Radboudumc, as well as the reference laboratory for hCG determinations. Every molar pregnancy must be reported and registered here.
 
You can register your patients via molaregistratie@radboudumc.nl

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Patient organizations

Information for referrers

Referrers may contact the center of expertise in writing or, in the case of emergency and consultations, by telephone. read more
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Information for referrers

Referral via general practitioners or written referral

Department Center of expertise in gestational trophoblastic diseases
 
Postal address
Radboudumc
Huispost 791
Postbus 9101
6500 HB Nijmegen

Telephone 
+31 (0)24 361 69 98

Emergency referral and consultations

You can contact the specialist on duty by telephone.

Molar registration

You can register your patients via molaregistratie@radboudumc.nl

Disorders and treatments

Trophoblast disease directive

In early 2018, the new national directive on gestational trophoblastic diseases was published on Oncoline. go to page

Research and education

Education

Our center of expertise provides education for students of Medicine, of Biomedical Sciences, and of other programs. We also offer internships to medical specialists (in training). read more
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Education

Our center of expertise provides education for students of Medicine, of Biomedical Sciences, and of other programs. We also offer medical specialists (in training) the opportunity to do an internship. It is also possible for students to carry out academic research within our center of expertise.

Further education and training

Our center of expertise also contributes to further training of medical specialists, general practitioners and (oncology) nurses through Q and A evenings and refresher training symposia.
 

Research

Binnen ons expertisecentrum verrichten wij internationaal wetenschappelijk onderzoek om de diagnostiek en zorg aan vrouwen met trofoblastziekten te verbeteren. read more
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Research

Within our center of expertise, we conduct international scientific research to improve diagnostics and care for women with gestational trophoblastic diseases.
  • Prof. dr. L. F.A.G. Massuger
  • Mw. dr. P.B. Ottevanger
  • Prof dr. G.C.J. Sweep
  • Dr. A.E. van Herwaarden
  • Dr. J. Bulten
We work closely with AVL in Amsterdam, the Charing Cross Hospital in London and the French Centre for Trophoblastic Diseases, and the University Hospital Lyon Sud, in Lyon.

Over the past ten years, four theses on gestational trophoblastic diseases have been written at Radboudumc:
  • N.E. van Trommel - Refinements in the Management of Persistant Trophoblastic Disease
  • L.G.W. Kerkmeijer - Human chorionic gonadotropin in the prediction of persistant trophoblastic disease
  • C. Lybol - Improving Management of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia
  • Y.K. Eysbouts - Detection and classification of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia

Participating in research

Scientific research is being carried out within our center of expertise to improve diagnostics and care for women with gestational trophoblastic diseases. During one of your visits, you may be asked to participate in research.