title: Placental site trophoblastic tumor.
abstract: When the author received a positive pregnancy test at a time she knew she couldn't possibly be pregnant, it caused her to rethink the healthy skepticism her years of nursing had engendered. This case reminds nurses that positive pregnancy tests can result from medical conditions other than pregnancy, including various cancers, such as placental site trophoblastic tumor, the focus of this article. It also serves as a reminder that any positive pregnancy test that isn't accompanied by corresponding clinical evidence needs to be evaluated further.
authors.affiliation: Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital, Fort Worth, TX, USA. st.chiggins@onebox.com
authors.forename: Kathleen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Whitney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011258:Pregnancy Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D011379:Prognosis; D012944:Social Support; D018245:Trophoblastic Tumor, Placental Site / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000473:pathology; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human