A hydatidiform mole in a postmenopausal woman. A case report and review of the literature.

Gestational trophoblastic disease occurs in less than 1 per 1200 pregnancies in the United States. The spectrum of this disease ranges from benign hydatidiform mole to trophoblastic malignancy (placental-site trophoblastic tumor and choriocarcinoma). Benign gestational trophoblastic disease generally occurs in women of reproductive age and is extremely rare in postmenopausal women. To our knowledge, our case represents only the third description in the world literature of a benign complete hydatidiform mole in a woman with a history of amenorrhea greater than 1 year. We describe the case of a 61-year-old postmenopausal woman who underwent an emergent total abdominal hysterectomy due to uncontrollable vaginal bleeding associated with an increased serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin level. The resected uterus contained an endometrial, cystic, grapelike tumor. Microscopic examination demonstrated hydropic degenerated villi with a circumferential trophoblastic cell proliferation and moderate atypia, consistent with a complete hydatidiform mole. The morphologic and immunophenotypic characteristics are presented, as well as the results of a literature review.