False pregnancy: an unusual paraneoplastic syndrome associated with bronchogenic neoplasm.
Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is typically associated with pregnancy or germ cell tumors. Although it may be detected within the tissue of a variety of malignant tumors by immunohistochemical methods, including primary lung cancers, serum levels are rarely elevated in non-germ cell malignancies. We describe a young lady who presented with chest discomfort and dyspnea. Clinically, she was thought to have deep venous thrombosis. She presumed that she was pregnant since her last menses was 3 months before admission. She also had breast tenderness similar to that which she had experienced during a previous pregnancy. A serum value for B-HCG suggested that she was 4 to 6 weeks pregnant. Further investigation confirmed that this patient was not pregnant, but had developed a gonadotropin secreting adenocarcinoma of the lung.
Byrd
R P
RP
Division of Respiratory Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine, KY.
Byrd
R P
RP
Roy
T M
TM
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006729:Hormones, Ectopic / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011555:Pseudopregnancy / Q000175:diagnosis*
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D006729:Hormones, Ectopic