Abnormal rise of HCG in a female of reproductive age group may indicate the following malignancy:
High-Yield Explanation
hCG is composed of and subunits and can be produced as intact hormone, which is biologically active, or as uncombined biologically ine subunits. Ectopic production of intact hCG occurs most often in association with testicular embryonal tumors, germ cell tumors, extragonadal germinomas, lung cancer, hepatoma, and pancreatic islet tumors. Eutopic production of hCG occurs with trophoblastic malignancies. hCG subunit production is paicularly common in lung cancer and pancreatic islet cancer. Ref: Longo D.L., Jameson J.L. (2012). Chapter 100. Paraneoplastic Syndromes: Endocrinologic/Hematologic. In D.L. Longo, A.S. Fauci, D.L. Kasper, S.L. Hauser, J.L. Jameson, J. Loscalzo (Eds), Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 18e.