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Gestational and nongestational trophoblastic tumors distinguished by DNA analysis
Author(s) -
Fisher Rosemary A.,
Newlands Edward S.,
Jeffreys Alec J.,
Boxer Geoffrey M.,
Begent Richard H. J.,
Rustin Gordon J. S.,
Bagshawe Kenneth D.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19920201)69:3<839::aid-cncr2820690336>3.0.co;2-e
Subject(s) - choriocarcinoma , trophoblastic tumor , medicine , trophoblastic neoplasm , placental site trophoblastic tumor , gynecology , human chorionic gonadotropin , pathology , germ cell tumors , pregnancy , gestation , obstetrics , fetus , placenta , biology , genetics , chemotherapy , hormone
In three patients in whom a diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic tumor was possible on the basis of pathology and elevated levels of serum human chorionic gonadotrophin, locus‐specific minisatellite probes were used to identify restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) in DNA from the tumor, the patient, and her partner. On the basis of results from these studies, one tumor, originally diagnosed as a germ cell tumor, was reclassified as a gestational choriocarcinoma, whereas a second tumor, diagnosed as gestational choriocarcinoma, was shown to be of nongestational origin. In the third case, a diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic tumor was confirmed, but in this case the androgenetic origin of the tumor indicated that it was derived, not from the antecedent term pregnancy, but from a previous pregnancy with hydatidiform mole. This study clearly demonstrates the value of DNA analysis in the classification of tumors with trophoblastic differentiation.