CASE REPORT
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
REFERENCES
- Salem M, Gilligan T. Serum tumormarkers and their utilization in the management of germ-cell tumors in adult males. ExpertRev Anticancer Ther. 2011;11(1):1-4. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Leong MY, English M, McMullan D,Ramani P. Aberrant expression of beta-HCG in anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Pediatr DevPathol. 2008;11(3):230-234. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Tsai YF, Cho SF, Liu TC, Chang CS.Multiple extranodal organ involvement and increase of serum ß-HCG in a case of primarymediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. Kaohsiung J Med Sci. 2014;30(12):641-642. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Milose JC, Filson CP, Weizer AZ,Hafez KS, Montgomery JS. Role of biochemical markers in testicular cancer: diagnosis,staging, and surveillance. Open Access J Urol. Dec 2011;4:1-8. [Crossref] [PubMed] [PMC]
- Dirnhofer S, Freund M, Rogatsch H,Krabichler S, Berger P. Selective expression of trophoblastic hormones by lung carcinoma:neurendocrine tumors exclusively produce human chorionic gonadotropin alpha-subunit(hCGalpha). Hum Pathol. 2000;31(8):966-972. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Monteiro JC, Ferguson KM, McKinnaJA, Greening WP, Neville AM. Ectopic production of human chorionic gonadotrophin-likematerial by breast cancer. Cancer. 1984;53(4):957-962. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Scholl PD, Jurco S, Austin JR.Ectopic production of beta-HCG by a maxillary squamous cell carcinoma. Head Neck.1997;19(8):701-705. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Shah VM, Newman J, Crocker J, Antonakopoulos GN, Chapple CR, Collard MJ.Production of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin by prostatic adenocarcinoma and transitionalcell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract. Br J Exp Pathol. 1987;68(6):871-878. [PubMed] [PMC]
- Delsol G, Ralfkiaer E, Stein H, Wright D, Jaffe E. Anaplastic large celllymphoma. In: Jaffe E, Harris N, Stein H, Vardiman J, eds. WHO Classification of Tumours:Pathology and Genetics: Tumours of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues. 1st ed. Lyon,France: IARC Press; 2001. p.230-235.
- Savage KJ, Harris NL, Vose JM, etal; International Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma Project. ALK- anaplastic large-cell lymphoma isclinically and immunophenotypically different from both ALK+ ALCL and peripheral T-celllymphoma, not otherwise specified: report from the International Peripheral T-Cell LymphomaProject. Blood. 2008;111(12):5496-5504. [Crossref] [PubMed]
- Fraternali-Orcioni G, Falini B,Quaini F, et al. Beta-HCG aberrant expression in primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma.Am J Surg Pathol. 1999;23(6):717-721. [Crossref] [PubMed]
JOURNAL of
EN