SERUM PLACENTAL LACTOGEN LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH MOLAR PREGNANCY AND TROPHOBLASTIC TUMORS

Serum HPL and HCG activity has been measured in patients with molar pregnancy and trophoblastic tumors. Patients with demonstrated trophoblastic tumors showed HPL levels well below the range characteristic of early normal pregnancy of less than 10 weeks' gestational age. Patients with molar pregnancy showed HPL values 10 to 100 times less than the normally expected levels for the corresponding gestational age, when urinary HCG excretion is elevated. This disparity may be used to differentiate between normal and molar pregnancy. In patients with trophoblastic tumors under treatment, the serum HPL activity fell to undetectable levels before the serum HCG activity indicated complete remission. However, relapse of disease indicated by a subsequent rise in HCG titer occurred without concomitant rise in the level of serum HPL activity. The observed difference in serum HCG and HPL activity is thought to be due to the degree of differentiation of trophoblast cells. © 1968.