CHORIOCARCINOMA PRESENTING AS A CUTANEOUS METASTASIS

The rare presentation of choriocarcinoma as a cutaneous metastasis in a 23-year-old male is reported. Histological and immunohistochemical a nalysis of the biopsy material demonstrated two distinct cell populati ons, syncytiotrophoblasts and cytotrophoblasts, with syncytiotrophobla sts strongly positive for human chorionic gonadotropin antigen. Subseq uent clinical evaluation revealed a testicular tumor with metastases t o lungs, brain, liver and kidney and increased serum levels of human c horionic gonadotropin. The patient died shortly after diagnosis due to complications of metastatic disease despite chemotherapy.