[Mediastinal chorionepithelioma in a man]

A rare case of ectopic chorionepithelioma of the mediastinum in a 36 year old male with bilateral gynecomastia but without involvement of sex organs. Autopsy: large grey-red nodular conglomerate of tumours in the anterior mediastinum. Rapid tumour progression was followed by the growth into the pleura, pericardium, diaphragm, development of numerous metastases into the lymph nodes, liver, omentum, brain.

tumour consisted of groups of proliferating trophoblast elements with various degree of differentiation of syncytial elements and cells of Langhans type, with polymorphism, invasion, foci of fibrinoid necrosis, recent and old haemorrhages. Rarity of the disease, difficulties in clinical diagnosis, high rate of non-correspondence between clinical and pathological diagnosis, examples of a successful treatment of chorionepithelioma by chemicals confirm the necessity of a thorough clinical examination of such patients.