ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Choriocarcinoma is a highly malignant pregnancy-related trophoblastic neoplasm, characterized by early metastasis to the lungs. Therefore, patients may manifest nongynecological symptoms owing to distant metastases. The incidence of choriocarcinoma after a term pregnancy is really rare (1/160,000 pregnancies). CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 20-year-old Iranian woman, gravida 2 para 1 live 1 abortion 1, who was referred to our gynecology department with sudden onset dyspnea and pain in the left hemithorax the day after her labor. The index pregnancy was without any complications. After the initial workup, the elevation of ß-human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) levels (> 1,000,000) along with the identification of clinical (vaginal lesions) and radiological evidence of distant metastases (bilateral pulmonary nodes) directed us toward pulmonary metastatic choriocarcinoma diagnosis. After the oncology consult, the etoposide, methotrexate, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide, and vincristine chemotherapy regimen was started for the patient. She responded well to the treatment and is currently continuing her chemotherapy process. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of choriocarcinoma is very good if the treatment is started on time. We suggest that clinicians should consider gestational trophoblastic neoplasia in their differential diagnosis of the post-natal period complications, especially after a term and nonmolar pregnancy.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols , Choriocarcinoma , Lung Neoplasms , Uterine Neoplasms , Humans , Female , Pregnancy , Lung Neoplasms/secondary , Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy , Choriocarcinoma/secondary , Choriocarcinoma/drug therapy , Choriocarcinoma/diagnosis , Choriocarcinoma/pathology , Uterine Neoplasms/drug therapy , Uterine Neoplasms/pathology , Young Adult , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Methotrexate/therapeutic use , Vincristine/therapeutic use , Dactinomycin/therapeutic use , Etoposide/therapeutic use , Etoposide/administration & dosage , Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human/blood , Cyclophosphamide/therapeutic use , Dyspnea/etiology , Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic/drug therapyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Mature cystic teratomas (MCT) of the ovary are benign ovarian germ cell neoplasms. Malignant transformation is possible but rare and ovarian carcinoid tumors in MCT are among the most extremely rare subtypes. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 60-year-old Iranian woman suffering from postmenopausal bleeding and hypogastric pain for the last 40 days. An adnexal mass was detected during the physical examination. Ultrasound imaging showed a (55 × 58) mm mass in the left ovary. Total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingooophorectomy and comprehensive staging surgery were performed for the patient. Intraoperative frozen section of the left ovarian mass was indicative of a malignant tumor. She was diagnosed with a carcinoid tumor with benign mucinous cystadenoma arising on MCT of the ovary, confirmed in the histopathology and immunohistochemistry examination. The tumor was classified as low grade and no chemotherapy cycles were considered. The patient was followed up long-term and no recurrence was observed during 14 months of examinations. CONCLUSION: Ovarian carcinoids arising from MCT are rare neuroendocrine neoplasms, and proper diagnosis of these tumors requires careful histopathology evaluation and appropriate examination. Therefore, it is necessary to consider these tumors as a possible differential diagnosis and evaluate them in individuals (especially postmenopausal women) who have abdominal pain or abnormal bleeding and a palpable mass.
Subject(s)
Carcinoid Tumor , Cystadenoma, Mucinous , Ovarian Neoplasms , Teratoma , Humans , Female , Ovarian Neoplasms/pathology , Ovarian Neoplasms/diagnosis , Ovarian Neoplasms/surgery , Middle Aged , Carcinoid Tumor/pathology , Carcinoid Tumor/surgery , Carcinoid Tumor/diagnosis , Carcinoid Tumor/diagnostic imaging , Carcinoid Tumor/complications , Teratoma/pathology , Teratoma/surgery , Teratoma/diagnosis , Teratoma/complications , Teratoma/diagnostic imaging , Cystadenoma, Mucinous/pathology , Cystadenoma, Mucinous/surgery , Cystadenoma, Mucinous/diagnosis , Salpingo-oophorectomy , Hysterectomy , Treatment Outcome , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Mature cystic teratoma of the ovary is classified among the benign ovarian germ cell neoplasms, and its malignant transformation occurs very rarely (in about 2%). As a result of nonspecific signs and symptoms, preoperative diagnosis of theses malignancies is a challenge to clinicians, resulting in delayed diagnosis (in advanced stages) and poor outcomes. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 43-year-old Iranian woman with progressive distension of the abdomen and hypogastric pain, who was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma transformation in a mature cystic teratoma of the ovary confirmed by histopathology examination. Total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingooophorectomy, and comprehensive staging surgery were performed for the patient, and she was scheduled for chemotherapy after the surgery. She responded well to the treatment and is currently continuing her chemotherapy process. CONCLUSION: There are a great number of reports in the literature regarding mature cystic teratoma of the ovary transformation into malignancy, so these neoplasms must be considered as a possible differential diagnosis and should be evaluated in older individuals with abdominal pain and palpable mass, or those with considerable tumor diameter and raised serum tumor markers.