A rare case of epithelioid trophoblastic tumor presenting as hematoma of a caesarean scar in the lower uterine segment

Abstract

Epitheliod trophoblastic tumor (ETT) account for only 1–2% of all the cases of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN), with a reported mortality rate of 10–24%. ETT is derived from chorionic type intermediate trophoblastic cells, which appears to be the reason for the only slightly elevated βhCG levels in these patients. We present a case of a 42-year-old patient who was admitted to the clinic eight months after Caesarean delivery, for irregular vaginal bleed with normal values of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (βhCG). A 6 × 5 cm hematoma was evacuated from the isthmic uterine segment during the operation, and the histopathological exam of the tissue surrounding the hematoma revealed ETT. There were no metastatic lesions on the thoracal, abdominal, and pelvic CT. The second ultrasonographic exam revealed tumefaction of 5 cm at the site from the previous surgical procedure. Color Doppler imaging revealed no central nor peripheral blood flow. The patient underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy without adjuvant chemotherapy. This appears to be one of the shortest intervals from the anteceded gestational event until the diagnosis of this tumor, along with the absence of the significant ultrasonographic feature of the ETT-peripheral Doppler signal pattern. We underline that, even with normal values of βhCG, irregular vaginal bleeding following the antecedent gestational event should always arouse suspicion of GTN.