Diagnosis
How Stanford Can Help You
At Stanford Women’s Cancer Center, we understand that a diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic disease can be emotionally overwhelming. Our skilled experts and supportive staff work together to provide compassionate care and successfully treat you—not just your disease.
Our gynecologic cancer doctors tailor your treatment to your individual risk factors. We help you preserve your fertility and avoid long-term side effects.
The Stanford Gynecologic Cancer Program in the internationally recognized Stanford Women’s Cancer Center provides care and treatment for gestational trophoblastic disease.
WHAT WE OFFER YOU FOR GESTATIONAL TROPHOBLASTIC DISEASE
- Nationally recognized expertise to treat every stage and subtype of gestational trophoblastic disease.
- Precise diagnosis options that use advanced biopsy and imaging technologies to evaluate the unique biology of your gestational trophoblastic disease.
- Team-based treatment planning, including weekly meetings that bring together specialists from diverse disciplines to tailor care to your needs.
- Advanced treatment options, including minimally invasive approaches, such as laparoscopic surgery (a technique that uses small incisions) and robot-assisted surgery.
- Tumor genomic profiling services to target the genetic fingerprint of hard-to-treat gestational trophoblastic disease with therapies only available through clinical trials.
- Comprehensive support services, including dedicated care coordination, counseling, nutrition services, pain management, massage therapy, and women’s sexual medicine services.
INTERESTED IN AN ONLINE SECOND OPINION?
The Stanford Medicine Online Second Opinion program offers you easy access to our world-class doctors. It’s all done remotely, and you don’t have to visit our hospital or one of our clinics for this service. You don’t even need to leave home!
Visit our online second opinion page to learn more.
Treatment for Gestational Trophoblastic Disease
Our gestational trophoblastic disease care team is experienced in helping women who are newly diagnosed and those who are facing a repeat occurrence of the disease. In fact, because we are known for treating gestational trophoblastic disease, other hospitals and doctors often refer women with the condition to us for care.
At Stanford Women’s Cancer Center, your doctors will review your diagnosis and risk. We work with you to develop a treatment plan that may include surveillance, medication, or surgery. We offer the most advanced minimally invasive treatments and technologies, and our experts help care for both the physical and emotional aspects of the disease.
For most women we treat at Stanford Health Care, gestational trophoblastic disease is caught early, when it is highly curable.
Newly Diagnosed
Recurrent or Advanced Cancer
Women at High Risk
Treatment & Wellness Care
Many cases of gestational trophoblastic disease can be treated with close surveillance. If you are newly diagnosed and had a dilation and curettage (D&C) after a molar pregnancy, your doctor may monitor your human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) levels closely until they return to normal.
If your HCG levels do not decrease as they should, your doctor might recommend chemotherapy or an additional D&C. In very rare cases, you could need a hysterectomy.
Caring for all aspects of your life is part of your treatment. Our support system includes nurses, nurse practitioners, nutritionists, social workers, psychiatric support, and support groups for you and your family.
Medical Therapy
Our experts have been developing new cancer drugs for many years, offering women with gestational trophoblastic disease early access to groundbreaking therapies. We tailor our treatment to your unique situation. Depending on your specific disease and its stage, your care team may recommend a single-drug chemotherapy regimen or a combination of chemotherapy drugs.
- Chemotherapy
Surgical Therapy
If surgery is needed to treat your gestational trophoblastic disease, our doctors use state-of-the-art minimally invasive techniques to remove the tumor.
- D&C (dilation and curettage)
- Hysterectomy (which is rarely needed to treat gestational trophoblastic disease)
Treatment & Wellness Care
Stanford Health Care’s gynecological cancer experts understand that developing gestational trophoblastic disease more than once can be emotionally difficult. We care for your physical and emotional needs and tailor your treatment to your unique risk factors.
We help minimize the risks of overtreatment, which could damage fertility and your body’s organs, and undertreatment, which could allow your cancer to spread. Our leading-edge imaging systems and sensitive HCG tests—designed specifically to find signs of a tumor—help us fine-tune your treatment planning.
Caring for all aspects of your life is part of the treatment journey for gestational trophoblastic disease. Our support system includes nurses, nurse practitioners, nutritionists, social workers, psychiatric support, and support groups for you and your family. Learn more about our comprehensive support
Medical Therapy
Our experts are at the forefront of developing new cancer drugs, offering early access to groundbreaking therapies. We offer various types of chemotherapy to target your specific risk factors.
- Chemotherapy
Surgical Therapy
If surgery is needed, our doctors use advanced minimally invasive techniques. They surgically remove metastatic tumors and minimize the chance of leaving behind microscopic amounts of tumor.
- D&C (dilation and curettage)
- Hysterectomy
Treatment & Wellness Care
If you are at high risk, we work with you to minimize your chance of developing the disease again. Your doctor will monitor your health closely and will probably recommend birth control to help minimize your risk of reoccurrence.
Your doctor may also recommend spacing out your future pregnancies and eating a well-balanced diet to help reduce your risk.
Risk of gestational trophoblastic disease is higher for women who:
- Are older
- Have a history of the condition
- Become pregnant quickly after a molar pregnancy
- Have certain nutritional deficiencies, though further research is needed to confirm this connection
Treatment & Wellness Care
Many cases of gestational trophoblastic disease can be treated with close surveillance. If you are newly diagnosed and had a dilation and curettage (D&C) after a molar pregnancy, your doctor may monitor your human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) levels closely until they return to normal.
If your HCG levels do not decrease as they should, your doctor might recommend chemotherapy or an additional D&C. In very rare cases, you could need a hysterectomy.
Caring for all aspects of your life is part of your treatment. Our support system includes nurses, nurse practitioners, nutritionists, social workers, psychiatric support, and support groups for you and your family.
Medical Therapy
Our experts have been developing new cancer drugs for many years, offering women with gestational trophoblastic disease early access to groundbreaking therapies. We tailor our treatment to your unique situation. Depending on your specific disease and its stage, your care team may recommend a single-drug chemotherapy regimen or a combination of chemotherapy drugs.
- Chemotherapy
Surgical Therapy
If surgery is needed to treat your gestational trophoblastic disease, our doctors use state-of-the-art minimally invasive techniques to remove the tumor.
- D&C (dilation and curettage)
- Hysterectomy (which is rarely needed to treat gestational trophoblastic disease)
close Newly Diagnosed
Treatment & Wellness Care
Stanford Health Care’s gynecological cancer experts understand that developing gestational trophoblastic disease more than once can be emotionally difficult. We care for your physical and emotional needs and tailor your treatment to your unique risk factors.
We help minimize the risks of overtreatment, which could damage fertility and your body’s organs, and undertreatment, which could allow your cancer to spread. Our leading-edge imaging systems and sensitive HCG tests—designed specifically to find signs of a tumor—help us fine-tune your treatment planning.
Caring for all aspects of your life is part of the treatment journey for gestational trophoblastic disease. Our support system includes nurses, nurse practitioners, nutritionists, social workers, psychiatric support, and support groups for you and your family. Learn more about our comprehensive support
Medical Therapy
Our experts are at the forefront of developing new cancer drugs, offering early access to groundbreaking therapies. We offer various types of chemotherapy to target your specific risk factors.
- Chemotherapy
Surgical Therapy
If surgery is needed, our doctors use advanced minimally invasive techniques. They surgically remove metastatic tumors and minimize the chance of leaving behind microscopic amounts of tumor.
- D&C (dilation and curettage)
- Hysterectomy
close Recurrent or Advanced Cancer
Treatment & Wellness Care
If you are at high risk, we work with you to minimize your chance of developing the disease again. Your doctor will monitor your health closely and will probably recommend birth control to help minimize your risk of reoccurrence.
Your doctor may also recommend spacing out your future pregnancies and eating a well-balanced diet to help reduce your risk.
Risk of gestational trophoblastic disease is higher for women who:
- Are older
- Have a history of the condition
- Become pregnant quickly after a molar pregnancy
- Have certain nutritional deficiencies, though further research is needed to confirm this connection
close Women at High Risk
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials use leading-edge therapies that are not widely available. They also offer hope when other treatment options have stopped working. Participating in these studies gives you the opportunity to benefit from breakthrough therapies while helping us increase our knowledge about gynecologic cancer so others can potentially benefit in the future.
Open trials refer to studies currently recruiting participants or that may recruit participants in the near future. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but similar studies may open in the future.
To learn more about the clinical trials we offer, call 650-725-0866.
Frequently Asked Questions
When choosing a doctor, it’s important to consider the doctor’s clinical training, experience and expertise in a specialized area that matches your health care needs.
You can find the right Stanford doctor for you by using our doctor directory and filtering the results based on a medical category, specialty, or doctor’s last name. View a list of our gynecologic cancer doctors
Yes, Stanford Health Care offers financial assistance for patients who are uninsured or underinsured. Meet with one of our financial counselors to find the best approach to paying for your health care. Financial counselors are available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Learn more about financial assistance services
We offer a number of support services to support your comfort and healing, including genetic counseling, interpreter services, support groups, wig bank, nurse navigators, nutrition services, pain management, fertility preservation, financial counseling, and a variety of classes and events.
To develop a personalized plan for supportive care, just call our Cancer Care Services. A trained Cancer Care Services nurse coordinator can help assess your needs and schedule the right combination of services for you and your family. Learn more about the Cancer Care Services
You can call the clinic directly to schedule an appointment with a Stanford Health Care doctor. Call 650-498-6000 to make an appointment.
We participate in a wide range of insurance plans. View the list of insurance plans accepted by Stanford Health Care
Have insurance or pre-authorization questions? The Patient Financial Clearance team is available Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., to answer your questions. Please call 650-724-4445 or 1-877-291-7335 (toll free).
Managing treatment for gynecologic cancer is a highly personalized process. Our care team guides you every step of the way.
For your first appointment, you should plan to bring any related test results and your medical history to share with your doctor. In addition to the following New Patient Appointment Letter, our clinic receptionists will confirm the information you should bring with you prior to your first appointment.
You will also need to have the following information with you when you check in:
- Insurance card
- A form of payment for any co-pays or deductibles
- One form of photo ID:
- Valid state-issued driver’s license
- Valid state-issued ID card
- Valid passport
- Valid U.S. Military ID card
- Valid U.S. Permanent Resident Card
Most of our locations offer convenient self-parking options. For assistance getting to your appointment, the staff at Stanford Cancer Navigation Services are here to help. Please call 650-723-4268.
Please see Directions and Parking information for:
We recommend you allow enough time to park to ensure you arrive on time. Due to construction near the main hospital campus, please plan to arrive 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to your appointment time at our Palo Alto location. This will allow you plenty of time to park, locate your clinic and complete any additional paperwork.
Please print, fill out, and return the Medical Record Release Form to your new patient coordinator. The medical release form is an authorization form for external facilities to release medical records to Stanford Health Care.
Always feel free to bring someone with you to your appointments. A family member or friend can help ask questions, remember the information your care team gives you, and provide support.
By California state law, you must let your care team know that you would like to record your conversation if you would like help remembering your discussion with your care team.
Write down your questions before your appointment and rank them in order of importance, beginning with the most important ones. If there isn’t enough time to have all your questions answered during your appointment, ask your doctor who you can speak with to get your other questions answered.
Spanish interpreters are on the premises 24/7 for the Hospital and for the Emergency Department. Interpreters for other languages are on the premises during clinic business hours, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday: American Sign Language (ASL), Cantonese, Mandarin, Russian and Vietnamese. For more information, go to Interpreter Service
We offer a number of support services to support your comfort and healing before, during and after treatment, including genetic counseling, interpreter services, support groups, wig bank, nurse navigators, nutrition services, pain management, fertility preservation, financial counseling, and a variety of classes and events.
To develop a personalized support plan, just call our Cancer Care Services A trained Cancer Care Services nurse coordinator can help assess your needs and schedule the right combination of services for you and your family. Learn more about the Cancer Care Services
Please call our clinic receptionists who are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., to help you reschedule or cancel your appointment: 650-498-6000
To determine if a clinical trial is right for you, talk to your doctor. He or she can refer you to a research coordinator for more information on studies that may be right for your specific condition.
You can also find the guidelines for who can participate in a particular clinical trial online. However, it is best to work with your doctor to decide the right care approach for your needs.
View list of open, gynecologic cancer clinical trials at Stanford
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- Pay Online:
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Already have an account but need help logging in?
Contact the MyHealth Help Desk
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- Stanford Health Care
P.O. Box 740715, Los Angeles, CA 90074-0715
Los Angeles, CA 90074-0715
- Stanford Health Care
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- You can call our Patient Billing Customer Service Office
1-800-549-3720.
- You can call our Patient Billing Customer Service Office
For our latest business hours and for more information about billing, visit our Billing page.
Spanish interpreters are on the premises 24/7 for the Hospital and for the Emergency Department. Interpreters for other languages are on the premises during clinic business hours, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday: American Sign Language (ASL), Cantonese, Mandarin, Russian and Vietnamese. For more information, go to Interpreter Service
Many of our programs are available to international patients.
Our International Medicine Services team can help you find the right doctor, estimate medical costs, book travel, and get you information about Stanford programs and services.
Please call +1 650-723-8561 or email IMS@stanfordheatlhcare.org to get started.
What Is Gestational Trophoblastic Disease?
Our Clinics
The Stanford Gynecologic Cancer Program provides expert treatment for cervical, ovarian, endometrial, and other reproductive cancers. Located in the Stanford Women’s Cancer Center, our program provides personalized treatment and comprehensive support.
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Phone: 650-498-6000
