Partial remission of a primary gastric choriocarcinoma after etoposide and cisplatin chemotherapy in a hemodialysis patient / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

Primary gastric choriocarcinomas are rare and no treatment regimen for hemodialysis patients with a primary gastric choriocarcinoma has been established. We report a partial response to etoposide and cisplatin chemotherapy in a hemodialysis patient with a primary gastric choriocarcinoma. A 69-year-old woman with end-stage renal disease experienced hematemesis for 3 days. Gastroduodenoscopy revealed an ulcerative mass with recent bleeding. A subtotal Billroth II gastrectomy was performed and a gastric choriocarcinoma was identified histopathologically. One month postoperatively, recurrence was diagnosed by detecting an elevated serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-HCG) level and multiple liver and lymph node metastases. The patient was treated with chemotherapy consisting of etoposide and cisplatin (EP). After six cycles of EP chemotherapy, the tumor size decreased markedly and a partial response was seen on computed tomography. Post-therapy positron emission tomography showed a complete metabolic response and the serum beta-HCG level had normalized.