[Solitary and multiple chorangiomas--clinical consequences, expression of growth factors and differences in the...

Chorangiomas are regarded as hamartous lesions of the placenta which may complicate a pregnancy if they grow large. The etiology of these lesion is still unclear. We suspected a link between the development of chorangiomas and an increase of the expression of the angiogenic growth factor bfgf and angiopoietin-1 within the tumour.

We examined 20 placentas without tumour, 19 placentas with solitary chorangiomas and 10 placentas with multiple chorangiomas (chorangiomatosis) with respect of the difference in clinical complications, regarding the expression of bfgf and angiopoietin-1 and with regard to the proliferation rate.

The expression of the growth factors in solitary chorangiomas did not differ from that in the normal placental tissue. Both groups showed moderate expression of growth factors. In placentas with multiple chorangiomas all cases were associated with a strong expression of bfgf and angiopoietin-1. Proliferating cells and fibroblasts were seen more often in placentas with chorangiomatosis. There were clinical differences with regard to the maternal age. The mean age in case of normal placentas was 24 years, in placentas with solitary chorangiomas 32 years and for placentas with multiple chorangiomas 28 years. There were more complications such as HELLP-syndrome, diabetes, preterm birth and additional maturational arrest of the placenta in case of chorangiomas.

There is a link between the development of multiple chorangiomas and an increase of the expression of bfgf and angiopoietin-1 in the placenta. In our study there is no correlation between multiple tumours and complications of pregnancy.