Pitfalls in the diagnosis of gestational choriocarcinoma. A case report

Gestational choriocarcinoma frequently presents diagnostic difficulties as the first symptoms are often due to distant metastases, particularly to the lung. A case of choriocarcinoma is described; the main features were thyrotoxicosis and a solitary metastasis in the lung arising from a clinically normal uterus. It is emphasized that clinical evaluation of the uterus is unreliable in the diagnosis of choriocarcinoma, a disease which must always be suspected in females with atypical thyrotoxicosis.