Ectopic production of human placental lactogen by human breast tumors

Serum samples from 72 patients with established carcinoma of the breast were investigated for ectopic presence of hPL. Further, the relationship of ectopically-secreted hPL and hCG-beta in breast cancer was investigated. Ten of 72 patients examined had detectable hPL and 12 had detectable hCG-beta, at 1-2 ng/ml serum sensitivity of the assay. The presence of hPL in serum of breast cancer patients was found to be independent of that of hCG-Beta. Sera of 13 patients with cystic mastitis, five with fibroadenoma, two with acute inflammation of breast, 20 normal women (non-pregnant) and 20 normal men did not show any detectable serum hPL or hCG-beta at the above mentioned sensitivity of the assay. Since these hormones were not detectable in normal men, normal non-pregnant women, and in patients having other pathological conditions of breast, the possible use of them as markers in cancer is expected