A tumor-marker form of hCG used in cancer monitoring.
Beta-hCG is the beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone normally made in pregnancy. As a tumor marker, it is measured because some tumors also produce it.
In people who are not pregnant, only a very small amount should be present. A clearly raised level outside pregnancy can be meaningful.
As a tumor marker, beta-hCG is used mainly to help assess and monitor germ cell tumors of the testicle or ovary, gestational trophoblastic disease, and a few other tumors, alongside imaging and other markers. It is not a general cancer screen.
In anyone of reproductive age, pregnancy is by far the most common reason for a raised result and must be considered first. A high level outside pregnancy needs a doctor to interpret in the full picture.
Aniva reads your result against research-backed ranges, not just the lab's wide normal. The reference shown below is specific to this biomarker.
Ranges are guidance only. Outside pregnancy, beta-hCG is an upper-cutoff marker.
| Group | Common upper guide (SI) |
|---|---|
| Non-pregnant adults | up to about 5 IU/L |
Levels rise after menopause. Aligned to German laboratory practice (DGKL).
Pregnancy raises beta-hCG and must be ruled out first. Levels rise modestly after menopause. Rarely, interfering antibodies cause a falsely positive result. Results from different assays are not interchangeable.
For germ cell tumors, often read alongside AFP and LDH, and always with imaging and clinical history.
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