An immunohistochemical study of hepatoblastoma producing human chorionic gonadotropin

High tissue concentrations of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) were revealed by radioimmunoassay in a hepatic tumor which was surgically removed from a two-year, eight-month-old boy manifesting sexual precocity. Histologically the tumor showed an embryonal type hepatoblastoma admixed with multinucleated tumor giant cells. The localization of native hCG and hCG-beta subunit was immunohistochemically demonstrated in some of the above giant cells, while that of alpha-fetoprotein was diffusely in the tumor cells of hepatoblastoma of embryonal type. Ultrastructural features of the giant cells were also presented.