BREAST ENGORGEMENT, FALSE-POSITIVE PREGNANCY TESTS, AND ECTOPIC GONADOTROPIN PRODUCTION WITH BRONCHOGENIC-CARCINOMA

Entopic and ectopic production of hCG is recognized to occur in a numb er of differing neoplasms. We describe two women in the fifth decade o f life who presented with breast engorgement and false positive pregna ncy tests because of ectopic hCG production in bronchogenic carcinomas . HCG served as a useful tumor marker in both women. In one patient, t he recognition of elevated hCG levels led to identification of an occu lt, early stage bronchogenic carcinoma that was resected for cure. A s earch for an occult neoplasm should be undertaken in nonpregnant patie nts with elevated hCG levels. Because of the increasing prevalence of bronchogenic carcinoma in young women, recognition of this syndrome ma y become more common and facilitate the earlier diagnosis of bronchoge nic carcinoma in such patients.