Metastasis of choriocarcinoma to the spinal canal – case report and review of literature
Mariola Drabik
At the Department of Female Genital Neoplasms of the Center of Oncology Institute in Warsaw, a 24 years old woman presenting with choriocarcinoma in the 4th clinical stage with metastases to the central nervous system, lungs and liver has been successfully treated. Metastases to the central nervous system were located in the spinal canal at the C4-D1 level; another metastatic lesion was described at the D3-D4 level. Metastases appeared 3 months after her giving birth to a healthy, mature infant. The patient was referred to the Center of Oncology after previous neurosurgical intervention at another hospital, aiming at excision of spinal canal lesions erroneously interpreted as angiomas. Our treatment began with the patient presenting flaccid paralysis of lower extremities, severe paresis of upper extremities and assisted respiration. Poor general condition of the patient precluded administration of aggressive multidrug chemotherapy, therefore she received methotrexate in monotherapy. Improvement of her condition enabled institution of chemotherapy adequate to the clinical stage of her disease. She received multidrug chemotherapy according to the EMA-EP protocol with intrathecal administration of methotrexate. Treatment was complicated by dramatic increase of transaminase activity, clotting disturbances, signs of diabetes insipidus, fever and neutropenia. Ultimately, her HCG level normalized. At 3 years after completion of therapy, the patient lives without signs of recurrence of choriocarcinoma.