Positive pregnancy tests in a postmenopausal woman due to beta-human chorionic gonadotropin production by multiple myeloma.
Extensive immunochemical characterization has shown that the free beta subunit of hCG (betahCG) can be produced by common epithelial tumors, including lung, colon, and bladder. However, the expression of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in hematologic malignancies and its significance is largely unknown. We present an extremely rare case of positive serum betahCG in a postmenopausal woman with relapsed, refractory multiple myeloma with myeloma cells expressing betahCG on immunohistochemical stain.
Departments of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA. ntageja@med.wayne.edu
Nishant
N
Tageja
Jason
J
Valent
Tamar
T
Giorgadze
Gail
G
Bentley
Jeffrey
J
Zonder
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000097:blood*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D017698:Postmenopause; D011258:Pregnancy Tests
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human