hCG Tumor Marker
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- Also Known As:
- Quantitative hCG
- Beta hCG
- Total hCG
- Total beta hCG
- Intact hCG
- Formal Name:
- Human Chorionic Gonadotropin
- quantitative

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At a Glance
Why Get Tested?
To help diagnose and monitor gestational trophoblastic disease or germ cell tumors
When To Get Tested?
When your symptoms suggest gestational trophoblastic disease or germ cell tumors; to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment for these conditions; to monitor for recurrence
Sample Required?
A blood sample drawn from a vein
Test Preparation Needed?
None
You may be able to find your test results on your laboratory’s website or patient portal. However, you are currently at Testing.com. You may have been directed here by your lab’s website in order to provide you with background information about the test(s) you had performed. You will need to return to your lab’s website or portal, or contact your healthcare practitioner in order to obtain your test results.
Testing.com is an award-winning patient education website offering information on laboratory tests. The content on the site, which has been reviewed by laboratory scientists and other medical professionals, provides general explanations of what results might mean for each test listed on the site, such as what a high or low value might suggest to your healthcare practitioner about your health or medical condition.
The reference ranges for your tests can be found on your laboratory report. They are typically found to the right of your results.
If you do not have your lab report, consult your healthcare provider or the laboratory that performed the test(s) to obtain the reference range.
Laboratory test results are not meaningful by themselves. Their meaning comes from comparison to reference ranges. Reference ranges are the values expected for a healthy person. They are sometimes called “normal” values. By comparing your test results with reference values, you and your healthcare provider can see if any of your test results fall outside the range of expected values. Values that are outside expected ranges can provide clues to help identify possible conditions or diseases.
While accuracy of laboratory testing has significantly evolved over the past few decades, some lab-to-lab variability can occur due to differences in testing equipment, chemical reagents, and techniques. This is a reason why so few reference ranges are provided on this site. It is important to know that you must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are “within normal limits.”
For more information, please read the article Reference Ranges and What They Mean.
What is being tested?
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone, made up of an alpha and beta subunit, that is produced by the placenta and normally is only measurable during pregnancy. Some abnormal tissues, tumors, and cancers, however, may also produce hCG, making the hCG test useful as a tumor marker. This test measures the amount of intact hCG, and sometimes the beta subunit of hCG, in the blood.
An increased level of hCG is seen with gestational trophoblastic disease and some germ cell tumors (benign and cancerous). If hCG is increased with these conditions, then the hCG test can be used as a diagnostic and monitoring tool.
Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a group of tumor types that develop in a woman’s uterus from the layer of cells surrounding an embryo that creates the placenta during a normal pregnancy (trophoblasts) and produces hCG. GTD usually occurs at the beginning of pregnancy after an egg has been fertilized, but instead of supporting the growth of a fetus, the cells form abnormal tissue masses. In most cases, the tumors are benign, but in a small percentage of people, they are cancerous. According to the American Cancer Society, GTD occurs in about 1 in 1,000 pregnancies. It can also occur after a normal pregnancy or after a miscarriage or abortion. The primary forms of GTD are:
- Hydatidiform mole – also called a “molar pregnancy,” which may be complete (only tumor tissue) or a mixture of tumor and fetal tissue but does not develop into a viable baby; these are usually benign but must be surgically removed.
- Invasive mole – a hydatidiform mole that grows into the uterus wall; it must be surgically removed; however, the condition can persist if GTD tissue remains.
- Choriocarcinoma – a rare cancer that may develop from the GTD tumor tissue in about 2 to 7 per 100,000 pregnancies; these cancers can grow quickly and spread to other parts of the body.
- Placental site trophoblastic tumor – also rare, this tumor arises at the site of placental attachment in the uterus. This tumor usually develops after a normal or aborted pregnancy but doesn’t often spread through the body.
- Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor – extremely rare, this tumor is similar in nature to the choriocarcinoma but is now considered a separate disease. It may take many years after a pregnancy for this tumor to be detected and may have already spread to other parts of the body.
Note: With appropriate treatment, the cure rate for most GTD is very high. For more on this, see the links in the Related Content section below.
Germ cell tumors and cancers occur primarily in the ovaries and testicles but can also rarely develop in other locations such as the chest.
- Germ cell tumors can occur in the egg-producing cells of the ovaries and are more often seen in younger women.
- Germ cell tumors can affect cells within the testicles that make sperm and account for more than 90% of testicular cancers.
Levels of hCG may also be elevated in other diseases such as liver, breast, lung, skin, and stomach cancers. Increased levels may also be seen in non-cancer conditions such as cirrhosis, duodenal ulcer, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Common Questions
View Sources
Sources Used in Current Review
2018 review performed by Kristin Hauff, PhD, FCACB, Interior Health Laboratories BC.
Sisinni L., Landriscina M. (2015) The Role of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin as Tumor Marker: Biochemical and Clinical Aspects. In: Scatena R. (eds) Advances in Cancer Biomarkers. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 867. Springer, Dordrecht.
Nwabuobi C, et al. (2017) hCG: Biological Functions and Clinical Applications. International Journal of Molecular Science. 18(10) pii: E2037. Available online at https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/18/10/2037/htm. Accessed October 2018.
Stenman U., Alfthan H. (2013) Determination of human chorionic gonadotropin. Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 27(6); 783-793.
Sokoll L.J., Rai A.J., and Chan D.W. (2012) Tumor Markers. In: Burtis C.A, Ashwood E.R and Burns D.E. (eds) Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics 5th edition Elsevier, St. Louis, Missouri.
Braustein GD, Buster JE, Soares JR and Gross SJ (1983). Pregnancy hormone concentrations in marijuana users. Life Science 33(2): 195-9.
Braustein GD, Thompson R, Gross SJ and Soares JR (1983). Marijuana use does not spuriously elevate serum human chorionic gonatotropin levels. Urology 25(6): 605-6.
Montagnana M., et al. (2011) Human chorionic gonadotropin in pregnancy diagnostics. Clinica Chimica Acta 412(17): 1515-1520. Available online at http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/health-professionals/clinical-resources/cancer-management-guidelines/gynecology/gestational-trophoblastic-neoplasia#Diagnosis-Gestational-Trophoblastic-Neoplasia. Accessed October 2018.
Sources Used in Previous Reviews
Pagana, Kathleen D. & Pagana, Timothy J. (2001). Mosby’s Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference 5th Edition: Mosby, Inc., Saint Louis, MO.
(2004). Germ Cell Tumors: Beta-Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. Specialty Laboratories, Use and Interpretation of Laboratory Tests, Books [On-line information]. Available online at http://oncology.specialtylabs.com/books/display.asp?id=544.
American Cancer Society. What is gestational trophoblastic disease? Available online at http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/GestationalTrophoblasticDisease/DetailedGuide/gestational-trophoblastic-disease-what-is-g-t-d. Accessed March 2011.
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Gestational Trophoblastic Disease. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007333.htm. Accessed March 2011.
Enrique Hernandez, MD, FACOG, FACS. Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/279116-overview. Accessed March 2011.
Farinde, A. (Updated 2014 July 2). Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG). Medscape Drugs & Diseases [On-line information]. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2089158-overview. Accessed September 2014.
(Revised 2014 March 3). Gestational Trophoblastic Disease. American Cancer Society [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003104-pdf.pdf. Accessed September 2014.
(Revised 2013 October 30). Tumor Markers. American Cancer Society [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003189-pdf.pdf. Accessed September 2014.
(Modified 2014 April 25). General Information About Gestational Trophoblastic Disease. National Cancer Institute [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/gestationaltrophoblastic/HealthProfessional. Accessed September 2014.
(Modified 2014 July 11). General Information About Testicular Cancer. National Cancer Institute [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/testicular/HealthProfessional. Accessed September 2014.
Zhang, Y. (2013 March 13). Tumor Markers: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG). Clinical Chemistry Trainee Council Pearls of Laboratory Medicine [On-line information]. Available online through http://www.aacc.org. Accessed September 2014.
Hussain, F. et. al. (Updated 2012 August 1). Gynecologic Tumor Markers Tumor Marker Overview. Medscape Drugs & Diseases http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/269839-overview. Accessed September 2014.
Storck, S. (Updated 2012 November 8). Hydatidiform mole. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000909.htm. Accessed September 2014.
Pagana, K. D. & Pagana, T. J. (© 2011). Mosby’s Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference 10th Edition: Mosby, Inc., Saint Louis, MO. Pp 558-560.
Sturgeon C, et. al. National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry laboratory medicine practice guidelines for use of tumor markers in testicular, prostate, colorectal, breast, and ovarian cancers. Clin Chem 2008; 54(12):e11-79. Available online through http://www.aacc.org. Accessed October 2014.
United States Anti-Doping Agency. Effects of Performance Enhancing Drugs. Available online at http://www.usada.org/substances/effects-of-performance-enhancing-drugs/. Accessed October 2014.
Quest Diagnostics. Bet-HCG, serum quant tumor marker. Available online at http://www.questdiagnostics.com/testcenter/BUOrderInfo.action?tc=20862&labCode=QER. Accessed October 2014.
Medscape. Beta human chorionic gonadotropin. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/269839-overview#aw2aab6b4. Accessed October 2014.
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