Human chorionic gonadotropin - hCG - is a hormone that is produced in the course of pregnancy, first by the embryo itself, and then by the layer of trophoblastic cells that surround the embryo. In fact, home pregnancy tests are based on the detection of hCG in the urine. In early pregnancy, one of the chief functions of hCG is to maintain the production of progesterone. But hCG has other actions, some of which make it intriguing to cancer researchers. For example, the level of hCG is elevated in some cancers. Researchers have speculated that hCG may be capable of rendering tumors invisible to the patient's immune system, thus facilitating the growth of cancer.

HCG is characteristically produced in significant amounts by certain reproductive system malignancies such as germ cell and testicular cancers, making it an excellent diagnostic and prognostic marker for these cancers. Some scientists have reported that hCG is also overproduced by many other types of tumor as well, albeit in smaller concentrations. In the 1980s and 1990s, Hernan Acevedo, PhD, of Pittsburgh, published a series of articles in which he showed that traces of hCG could be found in all the tumor samples that he tested. We can conclude that a number of different types of cancer - probably more than most people realize - produce this hormone.

Cancer and Pregnancy

The question then arises, what exactly is the role of hCG, the quintessential hormone of pregnancy, in these cancers?

Cancer and pregnancy share a number of characteristics, one of which is altered immune function. In pregnancy, the embryo, which is biologically distinct from the mother, must find a way to avoid being attacked as 'foreign' or 'non-self' by the mother's immune system. HCG appears to have a role in making the embryo invisible to the mother's immune system, and may play a similar role in cancer too, disguising the immunologically foreign characteristics of the tumor in such a way as to prevent the immune system from recognizing and challenging the abnormal cells.

This hypothesis has been tested in a number of ingenious ways. For instance Ziao-Yu Song and colleagues at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, carried out an experiment in which they gave arthritis-causing substance called SCW, which is extracted from bacterial cell walls, to non-pregnant female rats. Signs of inflammation, signifying the onset of arthritis, were detected and measured. The rats were then given hCG, which resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in their arthritis. The authors concluded: "HCG exerts a protective effect in this experimental arthritis model, through modulation of inflammatory mediators."

Use and Abuse of hCG

Clearly, like any hormone, hCG is highly biologically active. For this reason, it has certain very specific uses in medicine. For example, hCG is given to induce ovulation as part of the procedure of in vitro fertilization (IVF). In men it is sometimes used to stimulate the production of testosterone. Such uses are perfectly reasonable, and have a plausible basis in science. What is less reasonable, and less grounded in science, is the use of hCG for weight loss. Because of Kevin Trudeau's book "The Weight Loss Cure 'They' Don't Want You to Know About," the use of hCG as an aid to weight loss has become increasingly popular lately.

Mr. Trudeau specializes in publicizing medical treatments that "they" (i.e., the medical establishment) allegedly do not want you to discover. In 2007, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charged Mr. Trudeau with making misleading statements about his diet plan in his infomercials:

You can read the FTC's press release on Trudeau's allegations here:
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2007/09/trudeau.shtm

But hCG isn't just a harmless dietary supplement. Like all hormones it has profound physiological effects on a wide variety of organs and tissues. For example, hCG can cause considerable fluid retention, making it potentially dangerous for people with cardiac or kidney problems, asthma, epilepsy or migraine. Men taking hCG may develop a distressing condition called gynecomastia - enlargement of the male breasts. There have also been a number of reports in the medical literature describing the development of testicular cancer in young men taking hCG, and although a definite causative link has not been clearly established, there is legitimate cause for concern. There is also some evidence that there is an increased risk of ovarian cancer in women treated with hCG for infertility.

As to hCG's ability to promote weight loss, the FDA requires the following warning - in capital letters - to be included in the prescribing information:

"HCG has not been demonstrated to be effective adjunctive therapy in the treatment of obesity. There is no substantial evidence that it increases weight loss beyond that resulting from caloric restriction, that it causes a more attractive or "normal" distribution of fat, or that it decreases the hunger and discomfort associated with calorie-restricted diets."

Although I have often disagreed with the FDA in the past, in this case I think they have a point. HCG may yet turn out to hold important clues concerning cancer's ability to evade the body's immune system, but as method of controlling one's weight it is potentially dangerous. I would avoid it until further studies are done to establish its safety and effectiveness.

--Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D.