title: Gynaecomastia in a patient with a hCG producing giant cell carcinoma of the lung. Case report.
abstract: Gynaecomastia, or enlargement of the male breast may result from various endocrine dysfunctions and often reflects ectopic production of substances such as hCG and estradiol. We report on the case of a 30 year old man who presented with gynaecomastia and elevated plasma levels of hCG, estradiol and testosterone. As a result of several diagnostic procedures such as selective venous sampling and magnetic resonance tomography (MRT), a hCG producing tumor of the upper lobe of the left lung was found. This hormonal overproduction induced an enhanced secretion of estradiol and testosterone in the testicular tissue. Histology revealed a giant cell carcinoma with positive immunostaining for hCG. This case report further underlines the necessity of an intensive search for ectopic beta-hCG production due to malignant tumours, in particular in the adult.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, University Hospital Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Forst
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Cordes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pfützner
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Küstner
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bockisch
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lehnert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018286:Carcinoma, Giant Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006177:Gynecomastia / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D013739:Testosterone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D006854:Hydrocortisone