Journal of Spine

Choriocarcinoma Presenting with Spinal Metastasis: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Keveh Ebrahimzadeh, Mohammad Hallajnejad, Amirarsalan Amin Darozarbi, Mehrdad Hosseinzadeh Bakhtevari*, Reza Jabbari and Omidvar Rezaei

Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a spectrum of cellular proliferations originating from placental villous trophoblasts. Spinal metastasis of choriocarcinoma is rare, especially after a normal pregnancy. In this paper, we present a rare case of metastatic choriocarcinoma to the lumbar spine as the first manifestation of disease. The patient underwent surgery, and a dark red hemorrhagic, epidural mass was totally removed. Histopathologic studies on the mass and specimen from the episiotomy site led to a diagnosis of metastatic choriocarcinoma. Surgical resection has a limited role in metastatic choriocarcinoma, but it should be considered if rapid-onset neurological deficit appears due to spinal cord compression.