Biochemical remission by chemoradiotherapy in male mediastinal choriocarcinoma with diffuse lung metastasis: A case...

Primary mediastinal choriocarcinoma is a rare malignancy that is characterized by multiple metastases at the time of diagnosis, poor response to therapy and short survival times. There is no standard treatment for this disease. The present study described the case of a 25-year-old man with metastatic mediastinal choriocarcinoma. The patient completed 8 cycles of standard combination chemotherapy consisting of etoposide [100 mg/m²; intravenous (IV) drip on days 1-3], cisplatin (20 mg/m²; IV drip on days 1-5) and bleomycin (20 mg/m²; intramuscular injection on days 1, 8 and 15 every 21 days). The α-fetoprotein level decreased to 2.36 ng/ml, the serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) level markedly decreased to 8.69 IU/l, which was slightly higher than the normal upper limit, and the lactate dehydrogenase level decreased to a normal range. The computed tomography (CT) scan revealed that the number and size of the lung lesions was significantly reduced subsequent to 8 cycles of chemotherapy and the size of the mediastinal tumor was evidently reduced, with a less solid component and a more cystic component. The response assessment indicated partial remission. Following chemotherapy, a radiation dose of 50 Gy (2.0 Gy/fraction) was administered to the involved field of the mediastinum. Following radiotherapy, the β-HCG level had also decreased to normal levels, and CT evaluation revealed that the size of the residual lung lesions demonstrated no evident change, and the mediastinal tumor was slightly reduced in size, with a less solid component. The patient refused to undergo surgery and did not receive additional treatment following radiotherapy. At present, the patient has survived >16 months of follow-up without any symptoms.