Ovarian choriocarcinoma in the mouse

Choriocarcinoma is one of the rarest ovarian tumors in any animal species. This paper describes the gross and microscopic appearance of seven such neoplasms in B6C3F1 mice. Mean age at death was 47 weeks. Tumors were described at necropsy as dark or hemorrhagic cystic lesions. On microscopic examination tumors were composed of hematocysts, intercellular hemorrhage, and cytotrophoblasts, syncytiotrophoblasts, and/or trophoblastic giant cells. Cytotrophoblasts, syncytiotrophoblasts, and occasional giant cells were present in three cases while the other four tumors contained only trophoblastic giant cells.