Primary intracranial choriocarcinoma: a case report
Case report published in Clinical neuropathology (1986)
Abstract
A 10-year-old girl had a primary choriocarcinoma of the posterior third ventricle. Craniotomy a few hours before death did not yield any tumor tissue. At autopsy, an extensively hemorrhagic tumor abutted the pineal gland. Immunostains were positive for beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-HCG) but were negative for alpha-fetoprotein and carcinoembryonic antigen. The presence of beta-HCG in serum or cerebrospinal fluid may be used as a diagnostic marker and monitor of therapy. HCG is, however, not a unique marker for trophoblastic neoplasms, as a significant number of intracranial germinomas contain cells that are beta-HCG positive. Because of the rarity of primary extragenital choriocarcinomas and the much more common occurrence of metastases of genital choriocarcinomas, it is doubtful whether any investigation less than detailed autopsy can prove the extragenital origin of the tumor.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
A 10-year-old girl had a primary choriocarcinoma of the posterior third ventricle.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This case report details a primary intracranial choriocarcinoma of the posterior third ventricle in a 10-year-old girl, focusing on diagnostic markers like beta-human chorionic gonadotropin. The abstract focuses entirely on oncological pathology, autopsy findings, and diagnostic challenges regarding extragenital tumors. There is no mention of leeches, anticoagulation, or related therapies in the provided text. Consequently, this article has no discernible relevance to the American Society of Hirudotherapy, the leech secretome, or related fields.
Citation
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