[Genetic genesis of choriocarcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To distinguish choriocarcinoma from gestational or non-gestational choriocarcinoma and also identify the causative pregnancy of gestational choriocarcinoma by the genetic origin through molecular genetic analysis.


METHODS
Twelve patients with choriocarcinoma, who had experienced surgery prior to chemotherapy were enrolled in this study. All 12 cases were diagnosed pathologically as choriocarcinoma. Peripheral venous blood samples and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks of choriocarcinoma tissue microdissected from haematoxylin and eosin-stained sections of tissue by microdissection method were available from the patient and (or) her husband. DNA was then prepared from the couples' blood samples and choriocarcinoma tissue by using standard techniques. PCR amplification and fluorescent microsatellite genotyping were performed by using DNA from the couples and captured choriocarcinoma tissues. The genetic contributions to the choriocarcinoma tissue were determined by comparing the fragments of genes from the choriocarcinoma tissue to those from blood samples of the couples.


RESULTS
The primary lesion was ovary in 7 cases, but only 4 of them had the maternal contribution, indicating a non-gestational origin; the other three were gestational choriocarcinoma. The primary lesion was uterus in 5 cases, which were all gestational choriocarcinoma confirmed by genetic analyses. The causative pregnancies of the 8 cases with gestational choriocarcinoma were identified as androgenetic complete hydatidiform mole (AnCHM) in six cases and normal pregnancies in two cases, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Microsatellite polymorphism analysis is a molecular approach for distinguishing the non-gestational choriocarcinoma from the gestational one, and also be used to identify the causative pregnancy of gestational choriocarcinoma.
Zhao
Jun
J
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
Xiang
Yang
Y
Wan
Xi-run
XR
Feng
Feng-zhi
FZ
Cui
Quan-cai
QC
Yang
Xiu-yu
XY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D031954:Choriocarcinoma, Non-gestational / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006828:Hydatidiform Mole / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm