Anti-Müllerian hormone as a marker of ovarian reserve following chemotherapy in patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia

Abstract

Objective: The loss of primordial follicles from gonadal damage caused by chemotherapy results in decreased ovarian reserve. To assess the impact of chemotherapy for patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) on the ovarian reserve, we evaluated the post-chemotherapy serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels.

Study design: In 22 patients with GTN receiving chemotherapy, serum AMH levels were measured after the administration of chemotherapy and compared with serum AMH levels measured in patients with hydatidiform mole who did not receive chemotherapy, as a control. We also analyzed differences in the serum AMH levels following the administration of different anti-cancer agents.

Results: The serum AMH levels measured in the GTN group after chemotherapy was administered (median 1.18, range 0.32-3.94 ng/mL) significantly decreased in comparison to those measured in the control group (median 4.22, range 0.77-6.53 ng/mL, P=0.002). Serum AMH levels were significantly lower in the patients who had received a regimen including etoposide than in the patients who had not received treatment with etoposide (0.71 vs. 1.30 ng/mL, P=0.027).

Conclusion: Our results suggest that chemotherapy administered to treat GTN does indeed affect the ovarian reserve, especially in patients who receive a medication regimen that includes etoposide. Measuring their serum AMH levels might therefore be helpful for counseling GTN patients regarding their ovarian reserve.