Infantile Choriocarcinoma: A diagnostic challenge, case report

Abstract

Introduction. Infantile choriocarcinoma is a rare and highly metastatic malignant tumor from a primary gestational trophoblastic tumor. Symptoms are nonspecific, including severe anemia, digestive disorders, hepatomegaly, and digestive, pulmonary or urinary bleeding due to diffuse spread of the tumor. Diagnosis is usually made postmortem by histopathological analysis and elevated serum human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) levels. Mortality is high.

Clinical case. The case of an infant with no relevant history is described, who presents with diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever and respiratory symptoms, with findings of severe anemia, thrombocytosis, lactate dehydrogenase and elevated β-hCG levels, who presents with rapid deterioration presenting hemorrhage and severe neurological symptoms, with discovery of tumor infiltration in the brain, lung and intestine, with fatal outcome. Postmortem biopsy reveals childhood choriocarcinoma.

Conclusions. The importance of an adequate maternal gynecological examination, placental inspection at delivery and knowledge of this pathology to have a clinical suspicion is highlighted, in order to improve the prognosis and survival of this disease.