The Role of Serum Beta-Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (β-hCG) in Differentiating Benign and Malignant Breast Lesions at a Tertiary Care Center in Jharkhand

Breast lumps are often the earliest clinical sign of breast cancer and a primary focus of early detection efforts. Tumor markers like serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) offer a potentially simple and cost-effective means for disease monitoring and management. However, the diagnostic value of such markers in breast cancer remains uncertain, particularly due to low sensitivity in early stages. This study aimed to assess whether serum β-hCG levels can distinguish between benign and malignant breast lesions and evaluate their utility as a tumor marker in breast cancer patients. A total of 180 patients presenting with breast lumps were included through convenient sampling. Serum β-hCG levels were measured and correlated with histopathological findings. Among breast cancer patients, those with confirmed metastases were analyzed separately. Of all participants, 54.44% had benign lesions and 45.56% had malignant tumors. Elevated β-hCG levels were found in 34.15% of malignant cases, compared to only 1.02% of benign cases, a statistically significant difference. The mean β-hCG level was significantly higher in malignant cases (3.81 ± 2.19 mIU/mL) than in benign ones (1.66 ± 1.10 mIU/mL). Furthermore, 87.5% of metastatic patients had elevated β-hCG levels, compared to only 5.13% among nonmetastatic patients, with a corresponding rise in mean levels. These findings suggest that elevated serum β-hCG is associated with breast cancer, particularly in advanced stages and metastatic disease. While promising as a noninvasive biomarker, its limited sensitivity in early detection and the single-center, small-scale design of this study underscore the need for further research.