Cerebral metastatic choriocarcinoma: a postpartum cause of "stroke".

This case presentation is that of a 23-year-old woman who developed a "stroke" shortly after delivering a normal full-term infant. Evacuation of an intracerebral hematoma was required and an underlying nidus of choriocarcinoma was discovered. The patient responded dramatically to chemotherapy and irradiation. Because this metastatic tumor is potentially curable, we emphasize the importance of considering this diagnosis in young women who present with "stroke" symptoms, and we outline the appropriate laboratory and radiographic investigations.