title: Uterine gestational choriocarcinoma developing after a long latent period in a postmenopausal woman: the value of DNA polymorphism studies.
abstract: This article reports a uterine gestational choriocarcinoma arising in a 57-year-old woman with a long latent period of 22 years from the last known pregnancy. Diagnosis was made on an endometrial biopsy specimen, and given the age of the patient, the long latent period, and the limited sample, trophoblastic differentiation within an endometrial carcinoma was considered. The results of DNA polymorphism studies illustrated both paternal and maternal alleles within the tumor in equal amounts, confirming the neoplasm to be gestational in origin and to have originated from a nonmolar gestation. The report discusses the value of DNA polymorphism studies in distinguishing gestational from nongestational choriocarcinoma and from trophoblastic differentiation within a carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Royal Group of Hospitals Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Ciaran J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: Fionnuala
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Houghton
authors.forename: Jacqui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: W Glenn
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: McCluggage
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000175:diagnosis; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000097:blood; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D017698:Postmenopause; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D005819:Genetic Markers