title: Elevation of free beta subunit of human choriogonadotropin and core beta fragment of human choriogonadotropin in the serum and urine of patients with malignant pancreatic and biliary disease.
abstract: Human choriogonadotropin (hCG), its free beta subunit (beta hCG), and the core beta hCG fragment (c beta hCG) were measured by highly sensitive time-resolved immunofluorometric assays in the serum and urine of 29 patients with pancreatic cancer, 7 patients with biliary cancer, and 45 patients with benign pancreatic or biliary diseases. The results were compared with those of an age- and sex-matched reference population of nonpregnant women and men. Of the various forms of hCG assayed in serum, beta hCG showed the best diagnostic accuracy, and c beta hCG was the best marker in urine. Elevated serum concentrations of beta hCG were observed in 72% of the patients with pancreatic cancer, in 6 of 7 patients with biliary cancer, and in 9% of those with benign disorders. The serum concentrations of c beta hCG were elevated in 45%, 57%, and 2%, respectively, and those in urine in 55%, 71%, and 11%, respectively. The molar concentrations of c beta hCG in serum were mostly lower than those of beta hCG. Thus beta hCG secreted into serum appears to be the main source of c beta hCG in urine. Provided that they are measured by sufficiently sensitive and specific assays, beta hCG in serum and c beta hCG in urine appear to be useful markers for pancreatic and biliary cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alfthan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haglund
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: U H
authors.initials: UH
authors.lastname: Stenman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D010446:Peptide Fragments