Postmenopausal uterine bleeding due to estrogen production by gonadotropin-secreting lung tumors.
Two postmenopausal women are described who had uterine bleeding due to hormone production by lung tumors--a large cell carcinoma in one case and a choriocarcinoma in the other. Both tumors stained positively for one or more placental peptides (human chorionic gonadotropin [hCG], placental lactogen, or pregnancy-specific beta-1 glycoprotein) and both patients had extremely elevated serum levels of hCG, suggesting the tumors had some placental-like endocrine function. Clinical and hormonal data supported the concept that the uterine bleeding resulted from estrogen excess due to steroid bio-transformation by the tumors.
Smith
L G
LG
Department of Medicine, State University of New York, Stony Brook.
Lyubsky
S L
SL
Carlson
H E
HE
D001706:Biopsy; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood; D004107:Dilatation and Curettage; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D004967:Estrogens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D011374:Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D004967:Estrogens; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone