In this article the term gestational trophoblastic tumor is used to describe both invasive mole and choriocarcinoma and thus includes a nonmalignant and a malignant condition. This difficulty with nomenclature arises because when patients being treated with chemotherapy for a gestational trophoblastic tumor are studied, a histological diagnosis is not available in the majority of cases.

Genetic studies on hydatidiform moles.

Hydatidiform mole (HM) is a human pregnancy with no embryo but cystic degeneration of chorionic villi The common form of this condition occurs in 1 in every 1500 pregnancies in western societies and at a higher incidence in some geographic regions and populations Recurrent moles account for 2% of all molar cases and a few of them occur in more than one family member By studying a familial form of recurrent moles, a recessive maternal locus responsible for this condition was mapped to 19q134 and causative mutations identified The defective protein, NALP7, is part of the CATERPILLAR protein family with roles in pathogen-induced inflammation and apoptosis The exact role of NALP7 in the pathophysiology of molar pregnancies is unknown yet NALP7 could have a role either in oogenesis or in the endometrium during trophoblast invasion and decidualization In this review, we outlined recent advances in the field of HMs and reviewed the literature in the light of the new data

The genetics of hydatidiform moles: new lights on an ancient disease

Genetic factors in pregnancy wastage.

In the aftermath of the publication of androgenetic origin of complete hydatidiform moles (Kajii and Ohama, 1977), I was frequently asked if the discovery was made overnight by a flip of the fingers. It was not, but it took several agonizing years with several ups and downs. All the while, I kept saying that I knew the answer. I did not. By telling the story, I would reveal that I was an idiot. Nevertheless, I am tempted to do so, partly because this is a fitting occasion to tell such a story. No space is allotted for such an episode in a serious scientific article. It is not to say that giving a lecture upon receiving this prestigious award is not serious business, but the audience would be broad-minded enough to allow me to indulge myself in reminiscences. This way, I would be able to convey the circumstances in which the studies were made that eventually led to the discovery of androgenetic origin of complete moles.

Michael S. Baggish

Papers

Sex chromatin pattern in hydatidiform mole