What Causes Choriocarcinoma

What Causes It? Choriocarcinoma forms when cells that were part of the placenta in a normal pregnancy become cancerous. It can happen after a miscarriage, abortion, ectopic pregnancy, or molar pregnancy — when an egg is fertilized, but the placenta develops into a mass of cysts instead of a fetus.

What are the chances of getting choriocarcinoma?

Choriocarcinomas are extremely rare and develop from cells of the placenta. They happen after 1 in 50,000 pregnancies.

Do you have to be pregnant to get choriocarcinoma?

Choriocarcinoma is a very rare type of cancer that occurs in around 1 in 50,000 pregnancies. It can develop if the cells left behind after a pregnancy become cancerous. This can happen after any pregnancy, but it’s more likely after molar pregnancies.