CASE REPORT article
Front. Oncol.
Sec. Gynecological Oncology
Volume 15 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1593126
This article is part of the Research TopicCutting-Edge Strategies in Screening, Prevention, and Treatment in Gynaecologic OncologyView all 22 articles
Vaginal Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor mimicking vaginal fistula: A Case Report and Literature Review
Provisionally accepted
- Department of Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Background: Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT) is a rare variant of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. This article presents a case of vaginal ETT, initially misdiagnosed as vaginal carcinoma, in a patient with no history of gestational trophoblastic disease. The aim is to explore the clinical charateristics and diagnostic features of this condition. Case Presentation: A 50-year-old woman presented with a 3-year history of vaginal pain. Following a vaginal fistula repair at an external hospital, a biopsy unexpectedly revealed vaginal carcinoma, prompting referral to our institution for further management. Pathological examination confirmed a diagnosis of extremely rare vaginal ETT, with immunohistochemistry showing characteristic marker positivity. Notably, the patient had no history of gestational trophoblastic disease, and serum Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) levels remained normal throughout. After diagnosis, the patient underwent total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and partial vaginectomy. Postoperative pathology confirmed the primary site to be the vagina, an unusual location for ETT. To further control the disease, the patient received 6 cycles of EMA-CO chemotherapy. Follow-up at 1 year showed no recurrence or metastasis, with stable disease. Conclusion: ETT often present with nonspecific symptoms, which can lead to misdiagnosis. Vaginal delivery and induced abortion may be potential risk factors. Clinically, in patients presenting with vaginal pain, masses, or genital tract fistulas, the possibility of a trophoblastic tumor should be considered and thoroughly evaluated.
Keywords: ETT, Vaginal Fistula, diagnosis, Treatment, case report
Received: 13 Mar 2025; Accepted: 29 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Li, Yu, Xi and Duan. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Rui-qi Duan, Department of Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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