Inappropriate Antidiuresis and Carcinoma of the Lung: Detection of Arginine Vasopressin in Tumor Extracts by Immunoassay

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A case is described in which an undifferentiated (oat cell) carcinoma of the lung was associated with hyponatremia, natruresis and excretion of urine hypertonic to plasma. The electrolyte and osmolality abnormalities were corrected by water restriction and did not recur after pneumonectomy. By means of radioimmunoassay, extracts of the tumor were found to contain arginine vasopressin (or some very closely related peptide) in amounts ranging from 8 to 427 [mu] U/mg wet tissue weight. Extracts from uninvolved lung, lymph node, and from lung tumors of patients without this syndrome contained no detectable activity. Pituitary glands obtained at autopsy contained vastly greater quantities. These studies provide further evidence that the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone associated with various malignant tumors is due to hormone production by the tumor.