Human chorionic gonadotropin protects against breast cancer

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hCG actions in breasts promote growth and development in preparation for ensuing lactation. The same actions before a prolonged and incessant estrogens stimulation of breasts in women who delay the birth of their first child, results in the protection against developing BC during the menopausal years. The question is, how do the hCG actions decades earlier can result in this protection. There are two possibilities: First is the hCG’s ability to induce the differentiation of epithelial cells to the state where they are no longer prone to carcinogenic stimulation. However, this is not a likely because another pregnancy hormone, human placental lactogen, can also promote the differentiation without providing the protection. Moreover, hCG induced differentiation is reversible, thereby the differentiated cells revert back to non-differentiated state by the time of menopause. This leads to the second possibility. hCG induces non-reversible signature genomic imprinting, gene expression changes and epigenetic modifications. Scientific evidence supports this possibility. For example, the genes that promote cancer development are down regulated and those involved in cancer inhibition are up regulated in breast cancer cells from menopausal women who had given birth to children as compared with menopausal women who never had children. Many details of these genetic changes have to be further investigated. It is time to begin exploring the protective effects of hCG through phase 1 clinical trials on women volunteers of 24 years of age or younger, who are planning to delay their first childbirth. The clinical trials require first determining the optimal hCG dose, treatment length and administration route. Women who already have BC or certain oncogene activations should be excluded, as there is evidence that hCG could promote the tumor growth. The wait time to assess the results will be long, but it is worth it. Moreover, we don’t have anything else to offer to these women. Another therapeutic possibility is treating primary and locally spread BCs by intra tumoral injection of hCG. Since not all the tumors will be responsive, the hCG/LH receptor presence must first be established in core needle biopsies. Only when they are receptor positive, then hCG can be administered to induce apoptosis/necrosis prior to surgical removal, as shown in xenografts. The BC incidence is lower in women who have gone through hCG diet for weight loss. This assertion should be further verified in age-stratified manner from the data from hCG weight loss clinics around the country. It is not advised to use hCG in known or suspected cases of certain oncogene activations such as ERBB2. However, it may be wise to explore whether hCG can be useful in BRACs mutations in improving the disease outcome, as breast epithelial cells differentiation induced by hCG can diminish the same cellular targets that the mutations might involve. Finally, hCG for the prevention/treatment of BC may not work for every one, as no strategy does. It is a lot of work, expense and time to conduct the clinical trials. But we owe this to women who are looking to decrease their BC chances or looking for alternative therapies that yield better outcomes, once they already have the disease. In addition, there are reasons for optimism for hCG treatment. So it is time to move forward testing hCG for the prevention and treatment of BC. hCG is cost effective and the cost can be further reduced by scaling up the production. The side effects will be minimal, if any. If they occur, they do not often require medical attention. Nevertheless, it is a small price to pay for a potential lifetime gain of benefits. hCG is a member of therapeutic glycoproteins such as, erythropoietin, interferons, monoclonal antibodies and tissue plasminogen activator, which are currently used in saving millions of lives from some of the most dreadful human diseases. hCG should be no different from them in view of its newly found therapeutic possibilities. hCG can be made much more effective than currently used preparations by glycoengineering. It is possible that glycoengineered hCG can be formulated for oral administration.

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