title: Mediastinal choriocarcinoma presenting with syncope.
abstract: Mediastinal choriocarcinomas are rare germ-cell tumors that occur almost exclusively in young males. These tumors grow rapidly, causing compression of mediastinal structures, and are usually associated with a poor prognosis. We report herein a unique case documenting syncope as initial clinical presentation of a mediastinal choriocarcinoma causing a superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome. The patient was treated with a standard chemotherapy triplet, with normalization of the tumor markers after the first chemotherapy cycle. He remains with no evidence of disease relapse 18 months later. Clinicians should consider the diagnosis of a mediastinal germ-cell tumor in a younger male patient presenting with a syncopal episode.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology-Oncology, St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, USA. c_dasanu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Constantin A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Dasanu
authors.forename: Alexei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shimanovsky
authors.forename: Koyal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: Ion
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Codreanu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D013479:Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D013575:Syncope / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome