A Novel Tumor Marker for Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (+) Lymphoma: Beta-Human Chorionic Gonadotropin
Received Date : 25 May 2021
Accepted Date : 28 Dec 2022
Available Online : 10 Jan 2023
Kenan MORALa, Esra SEYHANa, Dilan Yağmur KUTLAYa, Serkan AKINb
aDepartment of Internal Medicine, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye
bDivision of Medical Oncology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye
Doi: 10.37047/jos.2021-84655 - Article's Language: EN
J Oncol Sci.
ABSTRACT
Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) is an important tumor marker for germ cell tumors. Interestingly in some cases
with lymphoma increased beta-hCG levels were detected. The association of beta-hCG expression and mortality in those rare cases isn’t well
established. We will present a 40-year-old male who was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma with increased beta-hCG levels.
Brentuximab-Vedotin monotherapy was started. The beta-hCG level decreased tremendously after initiating of chemotherapy and remained
so in the follow up with consecutive chemotherapy cycles. After the treatment 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-
computed tomography (PET-CT) showed showed tremendous decrease in FDG uptake in comparison to previous PET-CT findings. These
findings are correlant with the beta-hCG levels before and after treatment. A brief report of the possible pathophysiological mechanism of betahCG
expression in lymphoma patients will be presented further.
Keywords: Lymphoma; beta-human chorionic gonadotropin; brentuximab; prognosis