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CC BY 4.0 · Indian J Med Paediatr Oncol 2022; 43(06): 513-517
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1758525
Case Report with Review of Literature

Gestational Choriocarcinoma Manifesting as Spontaneous Hemothorax in Third Trimester of Pregnancy: A Case Report

Suma Devaraj
1   Department of Medical Oncology, Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
,
Soumya Surath Panda 
1   Department of Medical Oncology, Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
,
Debasish Sahu
2   Department of Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
,
Debahuti Mohapatra
3   Department of Pathology, Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
,
Beena Devi Agarwal
4   Department of Radiodiagnosis, Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
,
Ghanashyam Biswas
1   Department of Medical Oncology, Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
,
Lalatendu Moharana
1   Department of Medical Oncology, Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
,
Sindhu Kilaru 
1   Department of Medical Oncology, Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
,
Spoorthy Kolluri
1   Department of Medical Oncology, Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
› Author Affiliations Funding None.
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Abstract

Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) is an aggressive malignancy arising from the trophoblastic tissue. It is rarely seen in association with advanced intrauterine pregnancy. Most common manifestations are due to bleeding caused by the rich vascularity of trophoblastic tissue. We describe here a case of a 28-year-old female patient who presented to us at 32 weeks of pregnancy with sudden onset dyspnea and hemodynamic instability. On evaluation, imaging techniques revealed a gross left hemothorax requiring intercostal tube insertion for stabilization. Emergency thoracotomy and hemothorax drainage were performed wherein a tumor mass in the lower lobe of left lung was identified and resected. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of choriocarcinoma. Beta HCG levels were found to be elevated. Final diagnosis of a FIGO stage IV high-risk gestational choriocarcinoma was made. Following this, six cycles of multi-agent EMA-CO chemotherapy was administered to the patient. Patient had an excellent response to treatment with documented serial fall in β HCG levels and she continues to be in remission after 6 months of follow-up. In conclusion, in the circumstance of any pregnant women presenting with abnormal bleeding symptoms such as hemothorax, choriocarcinoma as a cause should be considered for early diagnosis and effective management.

Keywords

gestational choriocarcinoma - hemothorax - pregnancy

Declaration of Patient Consent

Informed consent of the patient was acquired.




Publication History

Article published online:
29 November 2022

© 2022. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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