Thyrotoxicosis From Molar Thyrotropin

Abstract

Clinical endocrine syndromes resulting from production of polypeptide hormones by ectopic tumors have become increasingly well recognized.1 Since the report of Dowling et al2 in 1960, particular attention has been directed to disorders of thyroid function related to ectopic hormonal secretions. These investigators described three patients with hydatidiform moles whohad laboratory evidence consistent with hyperthyroidism. A year later, Myers3 described a woman with metastatic choriocarcinoma who appeared euthyroid but whose laboratory values were consistent with thyrotoxicosis.Odell et al,4 in 1963, described seven of a series of 93 patients with metastatic choriocarcinoma who had elevated thyroidal radioiodine uptakes, increased serum levels of protei n\x=req-\ bound iodine (PBI), and increased basal metabolic rates (BMR) despite the clinical appearance of only minimal hypermetabolism and absence of goiter. These reports established the syndrome of eumetabolic hyperthyroidism associated with biologically active trophoblastic tumors. This syndrome recently was reexamined in detail, and the endocrine aspects of trophoblastic tumors were reviewed.5In 1964, Steigbigel and associates6 described a patient with metastatic embryonal carcinoma of the testis who exhibited both clinical and labo¬ ratory evidence of thyrotoxicosis in

Hyperthyroidism in men with germ cell tumors and high levels of beta‐human chorionic gonadotropin

“…4 pg/dl (range, 12. 6 to 33.5 pg/dl); serum T, levels correlated with beta-HCG levels (r = 0.84). All seven patients with elevated T, levels had beta-HCG values greater than 200,000 mIU/ml, and three of these seven had clinical manifestations that could be attributed to an elevated serum T , ; only one patient required specific antithyroid treatment; and after control of primary disease, all other patients had normalization of thyroid function.…”

THYROID FUNCTION IN CHORIOCARCINOMA: DEMONSTRATION OF A THYROID STIMULATING ACTIVITY IN SERUM USING FRTL‐5 and HUMAN THYROID CELLS

“…Hyperthyroidism has also been described in male patients with testicular tumours secreting high concentrations of hCG (Steigbigel et al, 1964;Karp et al, 1973). The lack of thyroid abnormalities in many such patients, even where the circulating hCG concentration is very high, has led to doubts being expressed that hCG is a thyroid stimulator (Norman et al, 1985).…”