Serum Steroids in Postmenopausal Women with Virilising Ovarian Tumours or Leydig Cell Hyperplasia

SummaryOf 7 virilised postmenopausal women, an ovarian androblastoma was found in 3, a Leydig cell tumour in 3, and hilar Leydig cell hyperplasia in 1. These patients had a greatly increased serum concentration of testosterone, ranging from 6·7 to 69 nmol/1, the normal values being 0·8 to 1·3 nmol/1. Ovarian steroid secretion was studied by comparing the concentrations in ovarian and peripheral venous blood samples obtained at operation. The two benign androblastomas secreted mainly testosterone, androstenedione, and pregnenolone. The endocrine activity of a large malignant androblastoma was low. Leydig cell tumours secreted large amounts of testosterone. One of these was also slightly ‘feminising’, secreting oestradiol in addition to androstenedione, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, dihydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and pregnenolone. This was the only case with increased ovarian secretion of DHEA. The ovary with hilar Leydig cell hyperplasia secreted predominantly testosterone, androstenedione and 17α-hydroxyprogest...