A Case of Placental Metastasis from Advanced Gastric Carcinoma / 대한암학회지

ABSTRACT

Placental and fetal involvement by matenal malignancy is rare. We report a case of placental metastasis from advanced gastric carcinoma in a 27 year-old woman. The patient also had disseminated bone metastasis, bone marrow involvement, malignant ascites, multiple lymphadenopathy, and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. Cut surface of the placental body showed many, variable-sized, grayish white nodules and plaques. Light microscopic finding showed sheets of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma in intervillous spaces. Villi were not invaded. Despite palliative chemotherapy the patient died of massive gastric cancer bleeding. But the patients child is alive and doing well with age of 11 months. We suggest that the presence of malignancy in pregnancy demands complete evaluation of the placenta and adequate follow-up of the infant for the sign of involvement.