Latent vaginal choriocarcinoma in a postmenopausal woman

A 50-year-old Japanese female with choriocarcinoma showed three unusual features: the primary tumor developed in the vagina ectopically without uterine lesion; the first symptoms of atypical vaginal bleeding and coughing occurred 23 years after the last pregnancy; and the tumor appeared during postmenopause. The possible mechanisms for the ectopic location and latency are discussed.