Primary gestational choriocarcinoma of the uterine cervix. Report of a case and review of the literature

Gestational choriocarcinoma usually arises in the uterine cavity and is associated with coincident or antecedent pregnancy. Extrauterine choriocarcinomas are very rare entities, and most of these are located in the uterine cervix. In our case, a 43-year-old woman was admitted in our hospital because she had amenorrhea for 2 months and elevated serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin levels. The patient was considered to have an ectopic pregnancy. Initially, she was treated with methotrexate, but since there was a continuous rise in human chorionic gonadotropin levels, the patient underwent a laparoscopy, along with dilatation and curettage (D&C) of the uterine cavity. Histopathologic findings, including immunohistochemical study, led to the diagnosis of choriocarcinoma of the cervix. Finally, the patient underwent a transabdominal hysterectomy and received single agent chemotherapy with methotrexate. Our case represents a primary choriocarcinoma of the cervix, which was initially misdiagnosed as an ectopic pregnancy. The difficulties in differential diagnosis are discussed. Immunohistochemical evaluation remains the mainstay of the diagnosis in most cases. Choriocarcinoma has a very good prognosis even in advanced stages, since it is a very chemosensitive tumor.     

Primary cervical choriocarcinoma: report of four cases and literature review

Primary cervical choriocarcinoma is very rare. So far, approximately 82 authenticated cases have been reported in the literature. We present additional four cases of primary cervical choriocarcinoma; the clinical features, differential diagnosis, and appropriate management are reported. Up to January 2005, all the four patients survived.     

Primary choriocarcinoma of the vulva

Abstract. Weiss S, Amit A, Schwartz MR, Kaplan AL. Primary choriocarcinoma of the vulva.
Primary extrauterine choriocarcinoma is very rare, found mostly in the genital tract (tube, cervix, ovary, vagina). Other sites such as lungs, gastrointestinal tract, heart, brain and submentum also have been reported.   A 31-year-old woman presented with abnormal uterine bleeding 6 weeks after her last menstrual cycle. Her HCG titer level was 900 mIu/ml. She underwent dilation and curettage (D & C). Pathology failed to reveal any chorionic villi. Further evaluation was done, including a second D & C, laparoscopy, exploratory laparotomy, CT, MRI and ultrasound which all failed to define a source for the elevated HCG titer which subsequently rose to 95,000 mIu/ml 130 days after her last menstrual cycle. At that time a vulvar mass was observed. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) was positive for choriocarcinoma. The patient was treated with one course of methotrexate 60 mg intramuscularly every other day for 5 days. Actinomycin-D 0.5 mg given intravenously daily for 5 days was added to courses 2–7. Radiotherapy (4000 rads) was applied concomitant with the chemotherapy. The remainder of the mass was subsequently excised. The patient has remained with no evidence of disease for 10 years. This is the first case report of primary vulvar choriocarcinoma.     

异位妊娠与输卵管/卵巢绒毛膜癌的鉴别

输卵管/卵巢绒毛膜癌(绒癌)是一种高度恶性的滋养细胞肿瘤(GTT),因分泌大量的β-hCG,临床主要表现亦为停经和不规则阴道流血,故易误诊为异位妊娠,如不规范地干预,易致肿瘤播散、转移甚至延误治疗。因此,如何进行鉴别诊断成为治疗的关键。文章就易误诊为异位妊娠的输卵管/卵巢绒癌的流行病学、疾病特点、临床表现、诊断及治疗等进行总结分析,以期为临床医生提供参考。     

Extrauterine choriocarcinoma of the greater omentum after tubal pregnancy: case report

Extrauterine choriocarcinoma is a rare form of gestational trophoblastic tumor. Extrauterine choriocarcinoma of the greater omentum is extremely rare in the literature. A 24-year-old female with irregular vaginal bleeding, mimicking as ectopic pregnancy, underwent emergency exploratory laparotomy and local excision of the greater omentum mass. The serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin level decreased rapidly after operation; however, it rose up again before long. Pathology showed choriocarcinoma in the greater omentum. No evidence showed lesions on uterus. No other metastasis was found. Multiple courses of combined chemotherapy were effective for this case. Surgical excision and combined chemotherapy were effective for extrauterine choriocarcinoma of the greater omentum.     

Surgical management of tubal disease and infertility

Reproductive surgery remains an important treatment option for some women with subfertility secondary to tubal disease. This review offers a comprehensive update on current evidence and guidance. Accurate investigation of the cause, site, extent is first paramount, with fertility-preserving surgical procedures reserved for women with mild tubal disease and no confounding subfertility factors. For severe tubal disease, including hydrosalpinx, a shift towards assisted reproductive technology (ART) is more often recommended, with tubal surgery instead offering a valuable adjunct to enhance reproductive success. Decisions regarding management of tubal disease are complex and require a patient-specific approach. Only surgeons with appropriate laparoscopic surgical expertize should perform tubal surgery; training the next generation of reproductive surgeons remains imperative.     

Laparoscopic salpingectomy in tubal pregnancy: prospective randomized trial using endoloop versus electrocautery

AIM: Ectopic pregnancy is conventionally managed by laparoscopic salpingectomy. Electrocautery has been used widely to secure hemostasis during salpingectomy. However, this method is associated with a risk of thermal injury to the visceral organs. Endoloop, a pre-tied suture used in laparoscopic surgery may be an alternative treatment tool and its potential use in the management of ectopic pregnancy is explored here. Our study aims to compare the effectiveness of the endoloop technique to electrocautery during laparoscopic salpingectomy for tubal pregnancy. METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted over 24 months at the Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. One hundred and two patients with tubal pregnancy were randomized into two treatment groups: those treated with endoloop and those treated with electrocautery during laparoscopic salpingectomy. RESULTS: The use of an endoloop was associated with a shorter operating time (48.85 min +/- 21.019 vs 61.14 min +/- 22.603, 95% CI -20.864 to -3.724), lower visual analog scores for postoperative pain at day 1 (2.02 +/- 0.960 vs 2.74 +/- 0.828, 95% CI -1.074 to -0.368) and day 7 (0.85 +/- 0.802 vs 1.44 +/- 0.837, 95% CI -0.916 to -0.272), and lesser total analgesia required by patients at day 7 after the operation (7.65 +/- 6.119 vs 15.32 +/- 8.326, 95% CI -10.529 to -4.804). There was no significant difference in the ability to secure hemostasis when both techniques were compared. Duration of hospitalization (2.37 days +/- 0.817 vs 2.34 days +/- 0.519, 95% CI -0.245 to -0.296) and interval from operation to discharge were similar. CONCLUSION: The endoloop appeared to be as effective as electrocautery and is a safe alternative to electrocautery for laparoscopic salpingectomy in tubal pregnancy.     

输卵管妊娠诊治过程中应该重视的问题

输卵管妊娠因为常见而缺乏详细深入的临床研究。它看似诊断简单、处理起来也容易，但是一旦被忽视，会导致严重后果，甚至死亡。随着当今社会环境、人们观念的变化，随着IVF等技术的广泛使用，输卵管妊娠出现了新的情况，我们应该重新重视输卵管妊娠的诊断和治疗。     

输卵管妊娠不同治疗方案对后续妊娠结局的影响

异位妊娠是指受精卵在子宫体腔以外着床,其中输卵管妊娠占95%。输卵管妊娠的治疗包括期待治疗、甲氨蝶呤治疗、保守手术、根治手术等。目前临床选择治疗方案时,不仅关注其有效性,同时也更关注本次异位妊娠治疗对后续妊娠结局的影响。文章就不同治疗方案对输卵管妊娠患者后续妊娠结局的影响进行阐述。     

足月产后绒癌误诊分析

目的 分析足月产后绒癌常见的误诊原因及其预后。方法对1985年-1996年底本院收治272例绒癌中57例足月产后绒癌的诊断治疗进行分析。结果 ①初诊即确诊为足月产后绒癌者5例,占8.8％,而52例误诊,误诊率达91.2％;误诊的52例病人中15例死亡,死亡率28.8％。②临床期别:88％病人就诊时已为晚期高危患者,多伴有肺、脑、肝、肠、膀胱等远处转移。③确诊时间及转归:59.6％病人是在产后3-6个月确诊的。结论 重视足月产后绒癌,对于产后阴道不规则出血病人或年轻经产妇出现其它系统疾患如急性呼吸系统或神经系统症状患者,应常规行血(或尿)绒毛膜促性腺激素(hCG)及β-bCG测定及胸片检查,诊断方法简单、准确且经济。早期产后绒癌可明显降低误诊率,改善患者的预后。     

Extraovarian nongestational choriocarcinoma in a postmenopausal woman

Primary extrauterine choriocarcinoma especially in the postmenopausal period is very rare. A 69-year-old woman, complaining of back pain, weakness, and severe fatigue with gross hematuria, was found to have paraovarian pelvic mass and underwent laparotomy. At the operation, a mass located in the right adnexal region, extending to the retroperitoneum and within the normal pathway of germ cell migration, was observed. Other peritoneal surfaces, the uterus, both the ovaries, and fallopian tubes were normal. Total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salphingo-oophorectomy, and excision of the right adnexal mass were performed. The histopathological report showed an extrauterine, nongonadal pure choriocarcinoma. As single-agent chemotherapy with methotrexate was ineffective, the patient received multiagent chemotherapy and responded well to the treatment. After 18 months following chemotherapy, the patient was disease free. Extraovarian nongestational choriocarcinoma can be seen within the normal pathway of germ cell migration and responds to chemotherapy-like gestational choriocarcinoma.     

A rare case of gestational ovarian choriocarcinoma coexistent with intrauterine pregnancy

ObjectiveTo report the rare case of gestational primary ovarian choriocarcinoma coexistent with intrauterine pregnancy, successfully treated with surgery and systemic chemotherapy. We also describe the utility of short tandem repeat (STR) genotyping in the diagnosis of choriocarcinoma.Case reportA 38-year-old woman at 17 gestational weeks presented with an ovarian tumor rupture in the left ovary. Left salpingo-oophorectomy was performed and the patient was diagnosed with gestational ovarian choriocarcinoma via histopathology and STR genotyping. After artificial abortion, the patient underwent 8 cycles of chemotherapy. Abdominal hysterectomy was performed because of the presence of low levels of human chorionic gonadotropin and the tumor that developed behind the uterus. However, no viable choriocarcinoma cells were found in the residual tumor, suggesting that the patient achieved full remission.ConclusionsEarly detection is crucial in treating choriocarcinomas; thus, clinicians should consider the possibility of choriocarcinoma at the presence of an ovarian tumor during pregnancy. Gestational and non-gestational choriocarcinomas differ in prognosis and sensitivity to chemotherapy due to their different etiologies. Therefore, STR genotyping may be beneficial in predicting the patient's prognosis or selecting the appropriate regimen.     

A report on 387 cases of microsurgical tubal reversals

Objective: To survey what factors influence the pregnancy outcome in an effort to improve the pregnancy rate (PR) after microsurgical reversal of tubal sterilization.Design: Retrospective clinical study.Patient(s): Three hundred eighty-seven patients who had microsurgical tubal reversal between March 1982 and January 1994.Intervention(s): Postoperative pregnancy outcomes were determined by telephone, letters, and direct interviews.Result(s): Pregnancy outcomes were identified in 94.1% of the total patients. The overall PR was 91.6%, of which 3.9% spontaneously aborted and 1.7% were ectopic. The probability that pregnancy occurred within the first 12 months was 0.80. The median interval from tubal reversal to pregnancy was 5.34 months. The pregnancy success rate after reversal of Falope ring sterilization was statistically significantly higher than in the other groups. Patients with reversed tubal length ≥7 cm had a statistically significantly higher PR than those with <7 cm.Conclusion(s): The overall probability of pregnancy was 0.89. The tubal length reconstructed after tubal reversal and the type of sterilization performed previously were the important factors affecting the PR.     

输卵管结扎后再通的取舍

绝育术后要求再生育时，可以选择输卵管复通术或者体外受精-胚胎移植（in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer，IVF-ET）助孕。由于年龄、复通术后输卵管长度、绝育方式及复通术式均会影响复通后妊娠率，所以，<35岁、不合并其他不孕因素的患者更适合输卵管复通术；而>40岁、合并电凝绝育等输卵管复通预后不良因素的患者适合IVF助孕。其他条件的患者，尚无确切证据表明复通术和IVF哪种更有效。     

The application of ultrasound techniques in the follow-up of a patient with a choriocarcinoma

Repeated ultrasound examination of a 32-yr-old patient with a choriocarcinoma is described. Ultrasound techniques may be a welcome addition in the follow-up of such patients.     

Effects of taxol on choriocarcinoma cells

OBJECTIVE: Taxol (Bristol-Myers Squibb) (paclitaxel) has been shown to be a potent inhibitor of cell growth for a variety of tumors. We were interested in the antiproliferative efficacy and biologic properties of this novel antineoplastic agent in choriocarcinoma cells.STUDY DESIGN: Human choriocarcinoma cell lines JAR and BeWo were cultured as a monolayers and treated with Taxol.RESULTS: Proliferation of JAR and BeWo cells was inhibited by Taxol in a dose-related manner and 1 to 3 nmol/L was sufficient to achieve 50% growth reduction. This effect was accompanied by a marked induction of human chorionic gonadotropin secretion. The effect on human chorionic gonadotropin secretion was dependent on intact protein biosynthesis but not mediated by augmented messenger ribonucleic acid expression. In these choriocarcinoma cells Taxol promoted differentiation as shown by an increase in syncytiotrophoblastic-like cells. Combination of Taxol with either etoposide or methotrexate resulted in antagonistic growth inhibition.CONCLUSION: Taxol is a highly effective antineoplastic agent in choriocarcinoma cells, and clinical trials in refractory disease would therefore be warranted. However, substances other than etoposide or methotrexate should be evaluated for combined treatment. In addition to growth inhibition, differentiation is also induced by Taxol, as shown by increased human chorionic gonadotropin secretion and changed morphologic features.     

输卵管感染与癌变及预防性输卵管切除术的价值

临床病理资料提示,输卵管感染可能与输卵管癌、卵巢癌的发生有一定关系,但目前尚无定论。近年来“卵巢癌的输卵管起源学说”使人们日益关注输卵管预防性切除术的价值。目前研究显示,预防性附件切除能有效降低遗传性卵巢癌,尤其是BRCA1/2基因突变携带者的卵巢癌的发病风险,能否降低散发性卵巢癌的发生需进一步探讨。单纯预防性输卵管切除能否降低遗传性及散发性卵巢癌以及其他盆腹腔浆液性腺癌的发病风险也需进一步研究。临床应用预防性附件或输卵管切除时,应慎重评估患者综合情况,权衡手术获益和风险,为患者争取最大手术获益。     

Unusual clinical presentations of choriocarcinoma: A systematic review of case reports

Choriocarcinoma (CC) is a highly malignant tumor originating in the trophoblastic tissue. The clinical presentation of CC is so much varied that every case may be one of its kinds and thus can be a diagnostic challenge. Numerous case reports have been published in various journals regarding the unusual clinical presentations of this cancer. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of all case reports in English language on gestational CC published in PubMed-indexed journals from 1998 to 2015. The main aim was to provide a summary and critical analysis of all the data and evidence published regarding the atypical clinical presentations of CC in recent years. In total, 121 case reports pertaining to unusual clinical manifestations of gestational CC were analyzed. The age of patients in whom cases were reported ranged from 17 to 67 years, and the time period between the index pregnancy and development of CC varied from 4 weeks to as long as 25 years. Cardiopulmonary complaints (20.66%) followed by gastrointestinal (18.43%) and central nervous system manifestations (17.67%) were found to be the most common. Through this review, the authors have made an attempt to discuss various manifestations with which a patient with gestational CC can present to clinician so that early diagnosis and timely management can be initiated, thus improving clinical prognosis.