Primary renal artery choriocarcinoma causing secondary renovascular hypertension

Choriocarcinoma is a rare primary germ cell tumour of the ovary composed of cyto- and syncytotrophoblast cells. Most of the choriocarcinomas are normally arising in the gestational trophoblast, gonads and, less frequently, mediastinum, pineal gland and retroperitoneum.

We report a case of primary choriocarcinoma of renal artery causing secondary renovascular hypertension in a 28 years old woman of reproductive age, presenting with abdominal pain, minimal vaginal bleeding and a delayed menstrual period.

Non-gestational choriocarcinomas, are histologically related to the pregnancy related gestational choriocarcinomas. These two subtypes may have to be differentiated according the clinical and radiological findings and DNA analysis may be used for this purpose as well. In many studies, authors have stated that nongestational choriocarcinoma diagnosis could be implemented in situations where the presence of a pregnancy could not be considered like the prepubertal period.

Choriocarcinoma should as well be considered among the possibilities in the differential diagnosis of the causes for secondary hypertension, especially within a picture of pregnancy of unknown location, albeit being one of the rarest.