The presentation and management of post-partum choriocarcinoma

Post-partum choriocarcinoma is a rare complication of pregnancy. We have an alysed a series of nine consecutive patients presenting with choriocarcinom a after a full-term non-molar pregnancy. All patients were managed at the S upraregional Trophoblastic Disease Screening and Treatment Centre at Weston Park Hospital, Sheffield between 1987 and 1996. All presented with persist ent primary or secondary post-partum haemorrhage. Treatment with multiagent chemotherapy (initially methotrexate, dactinomycin and etoposide) was succ essful in all cases. Early diagnosis is important because this rare conditi on is potentially curable with appropriate chemotherapy.