Detection of human chorionic gonadotrophin-β in serum or urine of prostate cancer patients is of no clinical significance

The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the potential role of elevated urinary/serum human chorionic gonadotrophin-beta (hCG beta) in prostate cancer prognosis. 104 patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancers were included; 68 patients had organ-confined, 18 had locally advanced and 18 had metastatic disease. A control group consisted of 115 patients presenting with benign prostatic disease. Serum and urinary total hCG beta was measured prior to treatment and serum PSA was measured at diagnosis. The patients were treated along conventional lines and progression-free survival was assessed. Four patients had elevated serum and 10 had elevated urinary, total hCG beta. There were no significant correlations between serum/urinary levels of hCG beta and tumour stage, Gleason score or PSA. In contrast, serum PSA had significant linear correlations with both clinical tumour stage and Gleason score (p = 0.0001). At a median follow-up of 36 months, 22 (21.2%) patients had died while 17 (16.3%) others had progressed. Kaplan-Meier plots and log-rank test revealed no significant difference in progression-free survival between patients with elevated or normal levels of serum and/or urinary total hCG beta. Clinical tumour stage, grade and PSA were statistically significant prognostic variables. Immunoassay measurement of serum or urinary hCG beta has no significant role in the clinical management of prostate cancer. Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.