Ten steps to establish a national centre for gestational trophoblastic disease

Purpose of review Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a group of heterogeneous disorders characterized by abnormal proliferation of trophoblastic tissue. GTD is a rare disease that is curable in the vast majority of patients when managed appropriately. The aim of the review is to discuss the important steps necessary to establish a center of excellence for GTD. Recent findings Care of patients with a rare disease is complicated by lack of strong evidence, scattering of patients across the country and limited expertise of medical professionals. The establishment of a center of excellence requires awareness of its benefit, funding, a solid business case and most of all dedicated clinicians. A multidisciplinary team and formulation of national guidelines are important steps before clinical pathways can be developed and treatment can be evaluated for improvement of care and research purposes. International embedding can facilitate the process and lead to the development of a (inter) national acknowledged sustainable center of excellence. Summary Centers of excellence could optimize the care of patients with GTD and promote research.
Source: Current Opinion in Oncology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: GYNECOLOGIC CANCER: Edited by Frédéric Amant and Christianne Lok Source Type: research