Gestational Trophoblastic Disease: Statistics

Approved by the Cancer.Net Editorial Board, 03/2023

ON THIS PAGE: You will find information about the estimated number of people who will be diagnosed with gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) each year. You will also read general information on surviving the disease. Remember, survival rates depend on several factors, and no 2 people with a tumor are the same. Use the menu to see other pages.

Every person is different, with different factors influencing their risk of being diagnosed with this tumor and the chance of recovery after a diagnosis. It is important to talk with your doctor about any questions you have around the general statistics provided below and what they may mean for you individually. The original sources for these statistics are provided at the bottom of this page.

How many people are diagnosed with GTD?

Overall, GTD is rare. GTD occurs in about 110 to 120 per 100,000 pregnancies in the United States. Most of these are molar pregnancies, which more frequently affect Asian, Hispanic, and Native American women. Choriocarcinoma occurs in about 2 to 7 pregnancies out of every 100,000 pregnancies in the United States. Worldwide, the incidence of GTD widely varies between countries.

What is the survival rate for GTD?

There are different types of statistics that can help doctors evaluate a person’s chance of recovery from GTD. These are called survival statistics.

It is important to remember that statistics on the survival rates for people with GTD are only an estimate. They cannot tell an individual person if the tumor will or will not shorten their life. Instead, these statistics describe trends in groups of people previously diagnosed with the same disease, including specific stages of the disease.

The prognosis for people with all types of GTD is good, even if the disease has spread to distant organs. Prognosis is the chance of recovery. The survival rates for GTD vary based on several factors. These include the stage and risk grouping of the tumor, a person’s age and general health, and how well the treatment plan works.

Talk with your doctor if you have any questions about this information. Learn more about understanding statistics.

Statistics adapted from the websites of the National Cancer Institute, National Organization for Rare Disorders, and Medscape. (All sources accessed February 2023.)

The next section in this guide is Medical Illustrations. It offers drawings of body parts often affected by GTD. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.