Head and neck cutaneous metastasis of testicular choriocarcinoma

BMJ Case Rep. 2020 Feb 25;13(2):e233337. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2019-233337.

Abstract

Testicular choriocarcinoma (CC) is a malignant germ cell tumour which most frequently presents with disseminated metastasis, often involving the lungs, brain and liver. Metastatic are characterised by extensive vascularity, often causing patients to present emergently with potentially life-threatening haemorrhagic complications. We report a patient with disseminated testicular CC, presenting with haemorrhage from a dermal metastatic focus involving the lower lip and mentum, requiring surgical intervention. This unique case illustrates the potential utility of palliative surgery, for the management of symptomatic metastatic disease, such as those caused by testicular CC.

Keywords: ear, nose and throat/otolaryngology; head and neck surgery; malignant disease and immunosuppression; otolaryngology / ENT; surgical oncology.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Chin / surgery
  • Choriocarcinoma / pathology*
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / blood
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Hemorrhage / etiology*
  • Humans
  • Lip / surgery
  • Male
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / pathology
  • Palliative Care
  • Skin Neoplasms / blood
  • Skin Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Testicular Neoplasms / pathology*