In:
International Journal of Surgical Pathology, SAGE Publications, Vol. 22, No. 7 ( 2014-10), p. 617-622
Abstract:
Giant cell tumors of bone (GCTs) are generally benign, locally aggressive neoplasms that rarely metastasize. The beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) is expressed in syncytiotrophoblasts and several nongynecologic neoplasms but has not been described in GCT. At our institution, we observed cases of elevated beta-hCG in patients with GCT leading to diagnostic difficulty and in one case, concern for metastatic choriocarcinoma. This study aims to determine the frequency of beta-hCG expression in GCT and any relationship to clinical aggressiveness. We evaluated tissue expression of beta-hCG by immunohistochemistry with 58% of cases staining for beta-hCG. Additionally, 2 of 11 patients with available serum and/or urine beta-hCG measurements demonstrated elevated beta-hCG due to tumor. It is important to be aware of beta-hCG expression by GCT and the potential for elevated urine and serum beta-hCG levels in patients with GCT so as to avoid misdiagnosis of pregnancy or gestational trophoblastic disease.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1066-8969
,
1940-2465
DOI:
10.1177/1066896914534466
Language:
English
Publisher:
SAGE Publications
Publication Date:
2014
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2070102-0
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