Breast engorgement, false positive pregnancy tests, and ectopic gonadotrophin production with bronchogenic carcinoma

Entopic and ectopic production of hCG is recognized to occur in a number of differing neoplasms. We describe two women in the fifth decade of life who presented with breast engorgement and false positive pregnancy tests because of ectopic hCG production in bronchogenic carcinomas. HCG served as a useful tumor marker in both women. In one patient, the recognition of elevated hCG levels led to identification of an occult, early stage bronchogenic carcinoma that was resected for cure. A search for an occult neoplasm should be undertaken in nonpregnant patients with elevated hCG levels. Because of the increasing prevalence of bronchogenic carcinoma in young women, recognition of this syndrome may become more common and facilitate the earlier diagnosis of bronchogenic carcinoma in such patients.