Pure nongestational ovarian choriocarcinoma: A scoping review

Abstract

In 1982, Jacobs et al. published a comprehensive literature review on pure ovarian choriocarcinoma [6]. The study classified all published cases of pure ovarian choriocarcinoma at the time into three categories: gestational ovarian choriocarcinoma, pure nongestational ovarian choriocarcinoma, and choriocarcinoma of uncertain etiology. The pure nongestational ovarian choriocarcinoma category was assigned to all pure ovarian choriocarcinoma cases occurring in prepubertal females, and the uncertain etiology was assigned to all pure ovarian choriocarcinoma cases in postpubertal women who were said to be sexually abstinent or virginal. Since the publication of this review, several other literature reviews on this topic have been published; however, limitations exist, including lack of definitive categorization strategies. As a result, little is known about the incidence, clinical course, most effective treatment regimen, as well as outcomes for pure ovarian nongestational choriocarcinoma. The purpose of this scoping review is to provide a strict definition of pure ovarian choriocarcinoma that allows appropriate classification of nongestational and gestational origin in order to better understand this disease process. MethodsThe search strategy was developed in collaboration with a librarian at Penn State Hershey College of Medicine. We searched PubMed for articles published in English using the following AbstractChoriocarcinoma of the ovary is a rare and highly malignant germ cell tumor. There are three ways in which an ovarian choriocarcinoma can arise: as a primary gestational choriocarcinoma that results from an ectopic ovarian pregnancy, as a metastatic choriocarcinoma that arises from a gestational choriocarcinoma, and as a germ cell tumor with differentiation into trophoblastic structures. Ovarian choriocarcinomas are therefore classified as gestational or nongestational. Recently, DNA polymorphism analysis has allowed investigators to determine the etiology of choriocarcinoma (gestational versus nongestational). Herein, in this scoping review, we detail the classification of, and clinical aspects of, pure ovarian choriocarcinoma.

Clinical Experience of Male Primary Choriocarcinoma at the Samsung Medical Center

“…Gestational choriocarcinoma refers to choriocarcinoma originating from the trophoblast of any type of gestational event, such as hydatidiform mole, spontaneous abortion, and normal pregnancy. Nongestational choriocarcinoma refers to choriocarcinoma that does not arise from a pregnancy event [ 6 ]. Nongestational choriocarcinoma, also called primary choriocarcinoma (PCC), can occur in men, but it is extremely rare [ 7 ].…”

An Atypical Presentation of Non-Gestational Choriocarcinoma During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Report

“…There are currently no guidelines or consensus on the standard treatment of non-gestational choriocarcinoma [4,8]. Since it is a very rare cancer, treatment options are extrapolated from treatment of other germ cell tumors and gestational choriocarcinoma [9].…”

“…Described treatments includes surgery combined with multi-drug chemotherapy [3]. Compared to gestational choriocarcinoma, non-gestational choriocarcinoma tends to be less sensitive to chemotherapy with higher rates of recurrence [9]. Often multiagent combination chemotherapy is required, particularly when distant metastases are present, Beta-hCG is >40,000 or in the case of gestational choriocarcinoma the interval since pregnancy is >4 months2.…”