Choriocarcinoma also known as Gestational Choriocarcinoma is a fast-growing malignant condition which usually occurs in a woman's uterus (womb) and grows from abnormal cells inside the uterus. The abnormal cells primarily initiate in the tissue that normally turns into the placenta (the organ that develops during pregnancy in the womb to feed and support the growing foetus).
Choriocarcinoma is a type of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) that usually starts in the uterus but can metastasize to other parts of the body.
Also Read: Uterine Cancer: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
Causes
Choriocarcinoma is a rare type of cancerous condition that occurs as an abnormal pregnancy. While in some cases, a baby may or may not develop in this type of pregnancy, at other times, it might initiate shortly after a normal pregnancy. But most of the time, it occurs with a complete hydatidiform mole (a growth that arises inside the uterus at the initiation of a pregnancy). The abnormal tissue arising from the mole can continue to grow in size even after attempted removal and can become cancerous over time. Studies indicate that approximately one-half of all women detected with choriocarcinoma had it arising from a hydatidiform mole i.e., a molar pregnancy.
Choriocarcinoma can also happen after a miscarriage, abortion, or ectopic pregnancy; when an egg is fertilised by the sperm, but the placenta develops into a mass of cysts instead of nourishing and supporting the baby.
Also Read: Ovarian Cancer: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
Symptoms
The characteristic symptoms of Choriocarcinoma vary depending upon the location or part affected:
Choriocarcinoma in the uterus:
- Irregular vaginal bleeding
- Abdominal pain due to excessive bleeding or enlargement of the ovaries
- Infections that cause vaginal discharge
- Pelvic cramps
- Fever
- Swelling around the stomach area
Choriocarcinoma in other body parts (like the lungs or brains):
- Coughing up blood
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Trouble breathing
- Chest pain
Diagnosis And Treatment
On getting a positive pregnancy test using urine, the doctor usually suggests an hCG test to check the level of human chorionic gonadotropin hormone and other imaging tests to confirm pregnancy. If a person has unusually high levels of hCG in their blood and urine but is still not pregnant, this may indicate choriocarcinoma. The malignancy is further confirmed by the following diagnostics:
- A thorough pelvic examination to find an enlarged uterus and ovaries
- Blood tests comprising Quantitative serum HCG, Complete blood count, Liver and Kidney function tests
- Imaging procedures CT scan, MRI scan, Pelvic ultrasound and Chest x-ray
- Spinal tap (if the doctor suspects that the tumour has spread from the original site)
Treatment
After a detailed diagnosis, the oncologist usually suggests treatment depending on the size of the tumour and whether it has spread to other parts of the body.
If the tumour is low-risk, i.e., small in size and hasn’t spread, chemotherapy is the primary treatment. But, in case, the tumour is high-risk, i.e., big size and has spread to other parts of the body, the available treatment options include surgery (including complete Hysterectomy to remove the womb in older people who won’t opt for pregnancy) and Chemotherapy, or Surgery, Chemotherapy, and Radiation therapy.
