Abstract
With the development of research in tumor, some of them have been found to secrete beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) ectopically and lung cancer is one of them. Generally, lung cancer secreting β-HCG is mostly undifferentiated small cell carcinoma. Here, we report a rare case of squamous cell lung cancer secreting high level of β-HCG in a postmenopausal female. The tumor secreted β-HCG, measuring 16,500 mIU/ml. The patient presented with hemoptysis and postmenopausal bleeding. Pathological examination of CT-guided biopsy and investigations could not tell whether it was primary squamous cell lung cancer or choriocarcinoma with lung metastasis, to be responsible for the high level of β-HCG. The chemotherapy in the early stage seemed to be effective, but not good in the late stage. Then she underwent a right pulmonary middle lobectomy and the pathological examination finally confirmed the diagnosis of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. The auxiliary chemotherapy made a decreased β-HCG. Only a few reports of squamous cell lung cancer secreting that high level of β-HCG can be found in the literature.
Highlights
Lung cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, following breast cancer [1]
We report a rare case of squamous cell lung cancer secreting high level of β-HCG in a postmenopausal female
The chemotherapy in the early stage seemed to be effective, but not good in the late stage. She underwent a right pulmonary middle lobectomy and the pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma
Summary
Lung cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, following breast cancer [1]. Squamous cell lung cancer is still one of the most common and main types of lung cancer. It arises in the airway epithelium of a main or lober bronchus. In the literature, limited case reports have discussed secretion of β-HCG in lung cancers, especially in non-small cell lung cancers. It is not common to encounter squamous cell lung cancer secreting β-HCG. There are no cases that have been reported, in which squamous cell lung cancer secrets that high level of β-HCG ectopically
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