Gestational choriocarcinoma in a tubal ectopic pregnancy.

A case is reported of a gestational choriocarcinoma arising in a tubal ectopic pregnancy of 7 weeks' gestation. Unilateral salpingectomy and single-agent actinomycin-D chemotherapy achieved a cure. A follow-up 4 years later revealed no evidence of recurrence, with two normal births within that period. The current trend to treat ectopic pregnancy by conservative surgery necessitates monitoring of beta-HCG titres in order to avoid missing a choriocarcinoma developing in an ectopic gestation, even though this is a very rare condition.