[31-year-old male patient with testicular mass and hyperthyroidism]

Internist (Berl). 2009 Jun;50(6):740-7. doi: 10.1007/s00108-008-2281-y.
[Article in German]

Abstract

An excess of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a rare differential diagnosis of hyperthyroidism, due to the TSH-like effect of hCG. hCG levels physiologically increase during pregnancy. In patients with germ cell tumors of the testicles and the ovary, a pathological increase of hCG serum concentrations may also be found, depending on the histological subtype. We report on a 31-year-old male patient with overt clinical hyperthyroidism resulting of a hCG-producing metastasized germ cell tumor of the right testicle. After initiation of chemotherapy, thyroid function normalized in parallel to the tumor's remission with marked decrease of hCG levels.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Humans
  • Hyperthyroidism / complications*
  • Hyperthyroidism / diagnosis*
  • Male
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / diagnosis*
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / secondary*
  • Testicular Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Testicular Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / complications*
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / diagnosis*