Abstract
Introduction
Gestational choriocarcinoma associated with ectopic pregnancy is an extremely rare event. We report a case of a choriocarcinoma arising from a cornual pregnancy.
Case
The patient is a 35-year-old G8 P2052 who was referred to our department due to failure of treatment for a suspected ectopic pregnancy. The patient had initially been treated with methotrexate injection but her β-hCG levels reached a plateau 3 weeks later and, despite another two methotrexate injections, started to rise. The patient underwent dilation and curettage that did not reveal any trophoblastic tissue. A diagnostic hysteroscopy that followed demonstrated occluded ostia of the left tube. The patient subsequently underwent diagnostic laparoscopy that revealed a mass in the left cornua, which was removed with wedge-wide resection. Histologic evaluation revealed choriocaricnoma.
Discussion
Appropriate monitoring of β-hCG titers following conservative management of suspected ectopic pregnancy is important, not only to diagnose persistent ectopic gestation, but also to rule out the presence of malignant trophoblastic disease, albeit the latter is a rare diagnosis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Gillespie AM, Lidbury EA, Tidy JA, Hancock BW (2004) The clinical presentation, treatment, and outcome of patients diagnosed with possible ectopic molar gestation. Int J Gynecol Cancer 14:366–369
Lewis JL Jr (1993) Diagnosis and management of gestational trophoblastic disease. Cancer 15(71):1639–1647
Muto M, Lage JM, Berkowitz RS, Golstein DP, Bertein MR (1991) Gestational trophoblastic disease of the fallopian tube. J Reprod Med 36:57–60
Nayama M, Lucot J, Boukerrou M, Collinet P, Cosson M, Vinatier D (2007) Tubal choriocarcinoma: a case report and review of the literature. J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod 36:83–86
Lurain JR, Sand PK, Brewer JL (1986) Choriocarcinoma associated with ectopic pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol 68:286–287
Balat O, Kular I, Ozkur A, Bakir K, Aksoy F, Ugur M (2004) Primary pure ovarian choriocarcinoma mimicking ectopic pregnancy: a report of fulminant progression. Tumori 90:136–138
Qian JH, Ye DF, Xie X (2005) Clinical analysis of 13 cases of gestational trophoblastic tumor misdiagnosed as ectopic pregnancy. Zhonghua Fu Chan Ke Za Zhi 40:91–94
Ha HK, Jung JK, Jee MK, Kim HH, Lee JM, Nam-Koong SE, Kim SJ (1995) Gestational trophoblastic tumors of the uterus: MR imaging—pathologic correlation. Gynecol Oncol 57:340–350
Lindholm H, Radestad A, Flam F (1997) Hysteroscopy provides proof of trophoblastic tumors in three cases with negative color Doppler images. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 9:59–61
Terada S, Uchide K, Suzuki N, Ueno H, Akafosu K (1994) Choriocarcinoma secondary to isthmic tubal pregnancy. Gynecol Obstet Invest 37:69–72
Deckel A, van Iddekinge B, Isaacson C, Dicker D, Feldberg D, Goldman J (1986) Primary choriocarcinoma of the fallopian tube. Report of a case with survival and postoperative delivery. Review of the literature. Obstet Gynecol Surv 41:142–148
Kagel T, Lemburg S, Muller K, Laczkovics A, Nicolas V, Heyer C (2006) Mediastinal metastasis of a tubal choriocarcinoma following ectopic pregnancy as a rare cause of thoracic pain. Zentralbl Gynakol 128:90–94
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rotas, M., Khulpateea, N. & Binder, D. Gestational choriocarcinoma arising from a cornual ectopic pregnancy: a case report and review of the literature. Arch Gynecol Obstet 276, 645–647 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-007-0394-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-007-0394-5