Non-gestational choriocarcinoma presenting as cervical lymphadenopathy in a male patient: a case report

Non-gestational choriocarcinoma (NGCC) is a rare and highly aggressive malignancy in male patients and is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage because of its atypical clinical manifestations. We report the case of a 38-year-old male patient who presented a unilateral cervical tumor without associated genitourinary symptoms. Histopathological examination combined with immunohistochemical analysis subsequently confirmed the diagnosis of NGCC. Radiologic assessment demonstrated extensive lymph node involvement without identification of a definite primary lesion. The patient initially showed a transient response following platinum-based chemotherapy, followed by disease progression during follow-up. This case highlights the importance of including NGCC in the differential diagnosis when male patients present with unexplained cervical lymphadenopathy, hemorrhagic and necrotic poorly differentiated tumors, and elevated β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) levels. Early recognition together with comprehensive immunohistochemical evaluation and systemic imaging assessment is essential to reduce diagnostic delay.