Molar Pregnancy: Mom Loses One Twin That Became a Cancer Tumor

Mom Darlene Lynch, 32, lost one of her twins during her pregnancy and while she successfully birthed the other twin, Cillian, in 2021, she was back at the hospital in 10 weeks because of a molar pregnancy.

Doctors told Lynch, who is from Ireland but is currently based in Australia, that the twin she lost developed into a cancer tumor and now she's battling choriocarcinoma. Her cancer is so rare that her nurses had to always search online for more information about the disease.

Weeks after giving birth, Lynch had to rush back to the hospital because she was hemorrhaging. Her doctors were not 100 percent sure if the tumor formed as part of the placenta or if it was the non-viable twin that became dormant. A biopsy could not be performed for the mom because her body also developed antibodies that will make blood transfusion risky during the procedure, per The Sun.

In March 2022, Lynch learned that her cancer has spread into her lungs. After going through therapy, the family received some good news as doctors discovered the tumor's size had reduced.​​

What are Molar Pregnancy and Choriocarcinoma?

A molar pregnancy is a rare complication that happens when the egg and sperm incorrectly fertilize, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The condition is considered a gestational trophoblastic disease riskier for women of European heritage.

Only less than one percent of pregnancies occur as a molar pregnancy. Some of its symptoms include preeclampsia or extremely high blood pressure, high HCG levels, vaginal bleeding, severe vomiting and nausea, and an abnormal increase in the size of the pregnancy.

In most cases, molar pregnancy ends on its own with the mom passing out the tumor naturally. However, some moms may require dilation and curettage to remove all of the abnormal tissues. In rare cases, the mom may also need a hysterectomy to ensure that there are no more complications such as choriocarcinoma.

The National Cancer Institute describes choriocarcinoma as a fast-growing tumor that will spread to the rest of the organs if it's not treated. The treatments are based on the stage of cancer. The mother had to regularly test her HCG levels to determine this.

Lynch said that she and her doctors didn't have any inclination toward the cancer growth because all of her test results and scans during the pregnancy were normal. Today, however, her doctors said that it was a miracle Cillian had been born safely when his mother was at risk.

Raising Awareness for Molar Pregnancy and Choriocarcinoma

To help raise awareness about her rare condition, Lynch has been documenting her cancer battle on Instagram. She has reached her 10th week of dealing with the disease while her baby is 20-weeks-old and has started rolling over.

Lynch is hoping to be well enough soon she and Cillian, and her husband Nigel, may travel to Ireland so her family can meet the baby.

So far, her HCG levels seem to be responding well to the treatments. She said that her goal is to get that level to zero with continuous chemotherapy. Her doctor has roughly given her a time frame as to when they can achieve this goal.

"I hope to continue to raise awareness about this rare cancer and how malignant and fast-spreading it can be," she wrote. "Hopefully it will help one other family going through similar."