Trophoblastic disease and choriocarcinoma.

Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a group of diseases associated with pregnancies that demonstrate abnormal development of trophoblastic cells. GTD includes hydatidiform moles (HM) that may continue to further develop into gestational trophoblastic neoplasms (GTN), such as choriocarcinoma (CC). Gestational CC is a malignant mass development that may arise from HM, from other (normal) pregnancies or from other gestational events (such as ectopic pregnancies). The aim of this review is to outline current understating of the genetics and epigenetics of GTD and gestational CC and the link between the two diseases.