title: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone-induced elevation of serum hCG in choriocarcinoma: a case report.
abstract: We evaluated the effect of GnRH on the serum hCG level in gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD). Five patients with GTD were studied. Three patients had hydatidiform mole (two complete and one partial mole) and two had choriocarcinoma. Blood samples were collected immediately before and 30, 60 min after the 100 microg GnRH iv injection, followed by hCG assay. Only one case of choriocarcinoma demonstrated an hCG increase after intravenous administration of GnRH (positive GnRH test). In that case, the hCG level dropped to the normal range after eight cycles of chemotherapy but the GnRH test was still positive, suggesting the existence of viable cancer cells. Since the GnRH test became negative, no increase in hCG has been observed, indicating that the patient achieved complete remission. Although a positive GnRH test is not common in GTD, GnRH test before treatment might be useful to find a positive case where the test can be repeated to determine complete remission and the time when the chemotherapy may be discontinued.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Handa City Hospital, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furuhashi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyabe
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katsumata
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Imai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006801:Humans; D006828:Hydatidiform Mole / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone