Lung cancer containing growth hormone-releasing hormone associated with hypertrophic osteoarthropathy. Case report

In a 49-year-old man, large-cell carcinoma of the lung was accompanied by raised serum levels of growth hormone (GH) and growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and hypertrophic osteoarthropathy. Immunohistochemically the tumour contained GHRH but not GH. The osteoarthropathy disappeared after resection of the primary tumour and did not reappear after its recurrence. The high serum GH level presumably was due to ectopic GHRH production in the tumour. The hypertrophic osteoarthropathy was not clearly attributable to these hormones.