Choriocarcinoma

/ˌkɔːrioʊˌkɑːrsɪˈnoʊmə/ noun

Definition

A rare and aggressive cancer that develops from cells related to pregnancy, usually arising from placental tissue, and can occur during or after pregnancy.

Etymology

From chorio- (relating to the chorion/placenta) + carcinoma (Greek karkinos 'crab' + -oma 'tumor'). The term emerged in the late 1800s as doctors distinguished placental cancers from other tumors.

Kelly Says

Choriocarcinoma is a paradox of modern medicine—it's one of the deadliest cancers yet one of the most curable because chemotherapy was proven effective on it decades before we could treat many other cancers!

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