A CASE OF PRIMARY GASTRIC CHORIOCARCINOMA AND A REVIEW OF THE JAPANESE LITERATURE

A 63-year old woman who had experienced melena for 2 weeks was admitte d to Tokyo University Hospital. Gastric adenocarcinoma was diagnosed e ndoscopically and histologically, and a total gastrectomy was performe d soon thereafter. Pathological examination of the resected stomach re vealed choriocarcinoma of the stomach. Although chemotherapy was admin istered after surgery, she died 3 months after admission. Autopsy conf irmed the diagnosis of primary gastric choriocarcinoma, a rare, but hi ghly malignant tumor. It is characteristic; macroscopically it forms a necrotic mass with bleeding, and microscopically it often consists of adenocarcinoma and choriocarcinoma. Since its prognosis is extremely poor, we must take into account the possibility of primary gastric cho riocarcinoma when a hemorrhagic gastric tumor with necrosis is found.