Gestational choriocarcinoma

Gestational choriocarcinoma is a malignanttrophoblastictumourarising from any gestationalevent during pregnancyin the reproductivefemale. Women with gestational choriocarcinoma may present with abnormal vaginal bleeding, persistent markedly elevated βhCG, or a history of prior pregnancy. Most patients develop gestational choriocarcinoma shortly after gestational anomalies, but pathologymay occur after a long latency of years.

Diagnosis

Grossly, a red hemorrhagicmass is seen in the uterus, though it may vary in size. Often, diagnosis is presumptive, and based on clinical findings and the identification of a malignant trophoblast.

Outcome

At the time of diagnosis, more than 90% of patients already have lungmetastases, though there are also less frequent metasteses to the brainand liver. With chemotherapy, there is an 80% 5-year survival rate. Ultimately, deathis related to liver and brain metastases.

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestational+choriocarcinoma Wikipedia article Gestational choriocarcinoma.