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 larg...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	The American journal of the medical sciences Vol. 339; no. 2; p. 182
Main Authors:	Tageja, Nishant, Valent, Jason, Giorgadze, Tamar, Bentley, Gail, Zonder, Jeffrey
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States 01-02-2010
Subjects:	Antineoplastic Agents Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human - blood False Positive Reactions Fatal Outcome Female Humans Middle Aged Multiple Myeloma - blood Multiple Myeloma - diagnosis Multiple Myeloma - drug therapy Postmenopause Pregnancy Tests
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Summary:	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.
ISSN:	1538-2990
DOI:	10.1097/MAJ.0b013e3181bccedb