Choriocarcinoma

Choriocarcinoma – General Information

Choriocarcinoma is a particular form of cancer which contains trophoblast cells. This disease starts from germ cells, which normally turn into eggs or sperm. In this condition, the disease corresponds to the cells which are located around the embryo in the women’s uterus. In most of the cases, the cancer develops in the interior of the reproductive organs. In what concerns the young people who suffer from this disease, the problem originates in the ovaries or the testes; in other cases, after a miscarriage or a normal pregnancy, Choriocarcinoma forms in the uterus. There are however few cases in which the disease develops in the exterior of the reproductive organs. These kinds of tumors usually appear in the cases of males. If we consider all these problems which regard only the formation of Choriocarcinoma, we must say that this type of germ cell cancer is one of the most dangerous. In addition, it develops fast and it spreads widely. In some extreme cases, the cancer grows so quickly, that the primary tumor surpasses its blood supplies and it destroys itself. This disease appears because of germ cell damage. In the case of males who develop this disease, it is more possible to appear if they also suffer from Klinefelter syndrome. This disease, however, is not frequent among males; it affects about 1% or 2% of them. Race does not influence the frequency of this type of cancer and, in what concerns the age of the sufferers, they are about 30-40 years old.  

Choriocarcinoma – Symptoms

Choriocarcinoma is more likely to appear in the case of those who had suffered from cryptorchidism; in this case, the cancer will locate in the abdominal area and not in the inguinal one. In addition, the cancer can develop because of some genetic changes, such as the gain of chromosome 9; this chromosome accelerates the process of the appearance of this disease. Apart from these, other risks which lead to the development of this type of cancer are trauma, estrogen exposure and mumps. If the patient is suspected of one or more of the problems presented above, he should pay a lot of attention in order to observe any of the symptom and signs associated with Choriocarcinoma. These symptoms depend a lot on the area in which this type of germ cells cancer appears and develops, as well as the further area in which it spreads. If the cancer originates in the uterus, the most common and possible sign is bleeding, associated with pain and discomfort. If the cancer appears in the ovary, it is expected to cause only subtle signs and symptoms and, because of this, it is harder to diagnose. Some of the symptoms in this case are pain and an increase of the waistline. However, in most of the cases, the patients who suffer from this disease can not identify the presence of it, as it is composed of small painless lumps. Considering all these, the most common sign of this disease is the bleeding which can also appear in the brain and lead to a stroke.     

Choriocarcinoma – Treatment

Those who present one or more of the symptoms and signs presented above should firstly consult an oncologist, as these kind of doctors are specialized in the treatment of cancer. In order to diagnose you properly and decide whether you suffer or not from Choriocarcinoma, the specialist will perform a physical examination and then will analyze your internal organs using ultrasounds or x ray. In most of the cases, the second procedure is the best one, as the patients are bleeding heavily. These kinds of tests are also used in order to detect the other organs affected by the cancer. In some cases, the disease can be identified because of the presence in the blood of human chorionic gonadotropin, a particular hormone which is secreted in the body only during pregnancy. This can also lead to an efficient treatment of the Choriocarcinoma. After the disease is identified properly, the doctor has to choose the best treatment for the sufferer. The most common ways to treat these types of germ cells are chemotherapy and the surgical dispatching of the tumor. If the tumor spreads to the brain, the doctor will probably choose radiation as a way of treating the disease.  
 In the case of a surgery, there are a few measures the doctor should be aware of:

• Preoperative details:
• the doctor should make sure that the tumor markers are drown properly.
• the young patients only need a quick routine, as their general health is good.
• the semen donation for ulterior fertility must be discussed and the doctor and the patient should agree on the correct measure.
• in the case of males who suffer from Choriocarcinoma, the problem of silicone implants should be discussed.
• in the case of patients who also develop signs of metastatic lesions, the surgery should be delayed.
• in most of the cases, orchiectomy is also indicated.

• Intraoperative details:
• patients must receive general, spinal or local anesthesia; in addition, the inguinal area must be prepared and shaved in order to perform the surgery.
• the incision in the inguinal area is necessary in order to allow access to the internal and external iliac canal.
• in the case of males who suffer from this disease, the spermatic arteries and the scrotum are ligated individually during the procedure.
• the skin must be closed properly and carefully.

• Postoperative details:
• the patients must receive adjuvant therapies
• complications are not expected to appear, but problems such as skin numbness in the inguinal area, hematoma or wound infections are considered to be standard risks and they are treated properly.

In the case of Choriocarcinoma, patients should also take advantage of alternative treatment which can reduce stress and the side effects of the surgery. These activities differ from a person to another, but the most common ones are yoga, music therapy, physical exercise or massage.  All these considered, Choriocarcinoma is not such a difficult disease and, if the proper treatment is administrated, the patient can recover completely.