2017 Volume 57 Issue 4 Pages 299-303
Background. Primary choriocarcinoma of the mediastinum is a rare form of extragonadal germ cell tumor that has a poorer prognosis in comparison to other germ cell tumors. In addition, primary choriocarcinoma of the mediastinum most often develops in young men. We encountered a case of primary choriocarcinoma of the mediastinum in what appears to be the oldest patient reported to date. Case. This case involved an 82-year-old woman with left back pain. The patient was found to have a mediastinal mass and pleural effusion. She was diagnosed with primary choriocarcinoma of the mediastinum based on the results of an ultrasound-guided needle biopsy. Chemotherapy with cisplatin and etoposide shrank the tumor and her β-HCG level decreased; however, adverse events precluded the continuation of treatment. The patient died approximately 9 weeks after the diagnosis. Conclusion. Although decreased tolerance of chemotherapy is a problem that needs to be resolved, chemotherapy should prolong survival, even in elderly patients. Although extragonadal germ cell tumors rarely develop in elderly patients, an effective treatment for these tumors should be developed in the future.
