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Choriocarcinoma is a malignant and aggressive cancer, usually of the placenta. It is characterized by early hematogenous spread to the lungs. It belongs to the far end of the spectrum of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD), a subset of germ cell tumors.
Characteristic feature is the identification of intimately related syncytiotrophoblast and cytotrophoblasts without formation of definite placental type villi.
Syncytiotrophoblasts are large cells with bizarre nuclei and have an eosinophilic cytoplasm and often surround the cytotrophoblasts.
Cytotrophoblasts are polyhedral and regular cells. Have a clear/eosinophillic cytoplasm with hyperchromatic nuclei.
Choriocarcinoma of the placenta during pregnancy is preceded by:
Rarely, choriocarcinoma occurs in primary locations other than the placenta; very rarely, it occurs in testicles. Although trophoblastic components are common components of mixed germ cell tumors, pure choriocarcinoma of the adult testis is rare. Pure choriocarcinoma of the testis represents the most aggressive pathologic variant of germ cell tumors in adults, characteristically with early hematogenous and lymphatic metastatic spread. Because of early spread, and of inherent resistance to anticancer drugs; patients have poor prognosis. Elements of choriocarcinoma in a mixed testicular tumor have no prognostic importance. [1][2]
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