[Alpha-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin in bronchogenic carcinoma]

Using radioimmunoassay method the alpha-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (alpha-HCG) serum levels were measured in 112 bronchogenic carcinoma patients and in 48 patients with various non-cancerous lung diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the utility of alpha-HCG as a tumor marker for differential diagnosis of lung cancer. The incidence of elevated alpha-HCG serum level bronchogenic carcinoma group was 4.4%, in non-cancerous diseases group it was 4.1%, respectively. The difference between these two groups wasn't statistically significant. The elevation of the alpha-HCG was unrelated to the histologic type of lung cancer. The finding suggest that alpha-HCG serum level can't help in discriminating between patients with bronchogenic carcinoma and those with non-cancerous lung diseases.