TY - JOUR
TI - Beta human chorionic gonadotropin concentrations in serum of patients
with pancreatic adenocarcinoma
AU - Syrigos, KN
AU - Fyssas, I
AU - Konstandoulakis, MM
AU - Harrington, KJ and
AU - Papadopoulos, S
AU - Milingos, N
AU - Peveretos, P
AU - Golematis, BC
JO - Gut Pathogens
PY - 1998
VL - 42
TODO - 1
SP - 88-91
PB - BRITISH MED JOURNAL PUBL GROUP
SN - 1757-4749
TODO - 10.1136/gut.42.1.88
TODO - beta-human chorionic gonadotropin; chorionic gonadotropin; pancreatic
cancer; tumour marker; paraneoplastic syndrome
TODO - Background-Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is normally produced and
secreted by trophoblastic cells during pregnancy and from gestational
trophoblastic neoplasms. It is also detected in ovarian, stomach, and
colon adenocarcinomas, as well as in squamous cell carcinoma of the
oesophagus. Recently, interest in its role in the pathogenesis of
tumours has been enlivened after the presence of beta hCG in the cell
membrane of several malignant cells was shown in vitro.
Aims-To investigate the circulating concentrations of beta hCG in
patients with exocrine pancreatic adenocarcinoma and to examine its
potential prognostic value.
Patients-Thirty six patients with exocrine pancreatic adenocarcinoma, 12
patients with chronic pancreatitis, and 21 healthy volunteers were
studied.
Methods-beta hCG serum concentrations were detected by the application
of a radioimmunoassay technique.
Results-Fifteen of 36 patients with panadenocarcinoma and only one
patient with chronic pancreatitis had detectable plasma concentrations
of beta hCG (p<0.01). The patients with circulating serum titres of beta
hCG had a worse outcome compared with the group of beta hCG negative
patients: the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.01).
Conclusion-More than 40% of pancreatic exocrine tumours produce beta
hCG and its production is correlated with an adverse effect on outcome.
ER -