Ectopic Production of Human Chorionic Somatomammotropin by Nontrophoblastic Cancers¹

Abstract

Human chorionic somatomammotropin (HCS) was detected in 11 of 128 patients with various tissue-proved malignancies other than those originating in trophoblast or gonad. Plasma HCS values were generally lower than in untreated patients with trophoblastic tumors, and in 4 cases HCS was demonstrated only after concentration by affinity chromatography. HCS was detected in tumor extracts from 4 cases and these patients also had evidence for ectopic HCG production. In 80 patients without malignancy, HCS was not detected in unconcentrated plasma, or in concentrated specimens from 18, indicating levels below 0.002 ng/ml. The ectopic production of HCS is a link between ectopic hormones and ectopic embryonic proteins, and may provide a specific marker for neoplasm in males or nonpregnant females.