Ectopic production of placental hormones (human chorionic gonadotropin and human placental lactogen) in carcinoma of the uterine cervix

Abstract

Serum hCG and hPL levels were assayed simultaneously in patients with cervical carcinoma and were compared with those of a miscellaneous group of malignant conditions. It is apparent from the results that hCG secretion is of a much wider occurrence as compared to hPL. There seems to be a definite relationship between the clinical staging and ectopic hCG and hPL production. While hCG secretion is predominant in the later stages, hPL is produced in the earlier stages. It therefore seems that hPL might prove to be helpful in early diagnosis of carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Effects of a placental hormone, human chorionic somatomammotropin on normal and malignant cells.

“…Several reports, including our own (Rosen and Weintraub, 1976;Das et al, 1983) have revealed that this placental hormone may also be produced ectopically by different malignant tumors. But so far their significance or role in malignancy has not been determined.…”

“…That a sudden fall in serum HCS titre in pregnancy marks the onset of parturition (Genazzani et al, 1972) suggests that the hormone may have a role in nonrejection of the foetus during pregnancy. This could be true for malignant tumors as well.…”

“…HCS appears in the circulation at about the 5th week of gestation and increases in concentration with the advance of pregnancy, reaching a plateau at term (Beck et al, 1965). A group of investigators have claimed that the serum HCS level can be used as an indicator of foetal health and in the case of twins, the serum HCS level is double that of normal pregnancy (Genazzani et al, 1972). Although the hormone was found to possess potent lactogenic and some growth promoting properties (Josimovich and Astwood, 1964), the exact role of HCS during pregnancy has not yet been established.…”