Fetal hemoglobin detected serologically and immunohistochemically in cancer patients

Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) was serologically and immunohistochemically evaluate d, as a hematological or an ectopic cancer marker, mainly in germ cell tumo rs. The serological measurement of whole blood (wb) HbF and plasma HbF were compared to those of standard cancer markers, including hCG, AFP and CA125 . Among 46 patients of testicular teratoma (mostly in remission) elevated c oncentration of wb, or plasma HbF were found in 17 patients (37%) of whom f ive had active disease. In 29 patients with inactive seminoma, only three ( 10%) had elevated plasma concentration of HbF. Seven out of ten patients wi th hydatidiform mole (HM) had elevated wb or plasma HbF, which in most of t hem was associated with elevated hCG In 14 (70%) of 20 patients with ovaria n adenocarcinoma the concentration of wb HbF was elevated. At the same time , in most of them (60%) the standard markers (CA125 or/and CA15-3) also had positive values. All four cases of breast cancer with elevated wb Hbf had active disease, or elevated standard marker. Very high concentrations of wb HbF in lung cancer were associated with metastases. Immunohistochemically, HbF was a useful marker in HM and in differentiated structures of teratoma , but not in seminoma.