JOURNAL of
ONCOLOGICAL
SCIENCES


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
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.