Primary choriocarcinoma of the lung: a case report and literature review

Choriocarcinoma is a highly aggressive malignant germ cell tumor containing syncytiotrophoblasts and secreting beta-hCG with a poor prognosis. Most of the choriocarcinomas are associated with gestational events and occur in the female genital tract. Primary choriocarcinoma of the lung is extremely rare and fewer than 30 cases have been reported to date. Here we report a surgically treated case of primary pulmonary choriocarcinoma in a 37-year-old woman. Surgery was followed by chemotherapy with bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatinum. The patient was alive at 3-year follow-up and was in good condition.