Gonadotropin-Producing Anaplastic Large-Cell Carcinomas of the Lung

Abstract

PRODUCTION of gonadotropins is normally restricted to the pituitary and placenta. Tumors containing trophoblastic elements – choriocarcinomas, teratomas and embryonal-cell carcinomas – can also make gonadotropins, but with the exception of 2 hepatomas,^{1 , 2} gonadotropic activity has not been recovered from any other neoplasms. Yet an increasing number of reports have documented the elaboration of other hormones by nonendocrine tumors,^{3 , 4} especially by carcinomas of the bronchus.⁵ We report here the cases of 4 male smokers with gynecomastia whose histories, physical examinations, laboratory studies, clinical courses and autopsy findings were typical of bronchogenic carcinoma. Elevated levels of gonadotropic activity were present in . . .