[Atypical choriocarcinoma. Analysis of 3 cases]

Atypical choriocarcinoma is a rare type of gestational trophoblastic disease and only 3 cases were diagnosed among a total of 696 patients with choriocarcinoma admitted to our hospital from 1949 through 1985. Atypical choriocarcinomas different from the regular choriocarcinoma in both histopathology and clinical manifestations. Morphologically, the tumor cells are predominantly cytotrophoblasts and clinically, the hCG titer is very low which is undetectable by routine biological or immunologic assays. Therefore, it is not infrequently misdiagnosed as sarcoma, squamous cell carcinoma or clear cell carcinoma of the uterus. A comprehensive review of the past history and clinical manifestations is most essential to obtain a correct diagnosis.