TLDR Ovarian steroid cell tumors should be considered in adults with hirsutism and high testosterone, with surgery as the main treatment.
A 69-year-old woman with postmenopausal bleeding, a 5-year history of excessive hirsutism, baldness, and acne was found to have a 2 cm mass in her left ovary and elevated serum testosterone. She underwent hysterectomy and bilateral adnexectomy, and was diagnosed with a steroid cell tumor. Postoperative chemotherapy was given, and 48 months post-surgery, her hirsutism resolved, serum testosterone normalized, and there was no recurrence. The study concluded that ovarian steroid cell tumors should be considered in adults with hirsutism and elevated serum testosterone, with surgery being the primary treatment.
75 citations
,
May 1986 in “Clinics in endocrinology and metabolism” Male hormones are important for hair and oil gland development and can cause conditions like excessive hair growth and acne.
63 citations
,
August 2022 in “Diagnostics” Hirsutism, characterized by male-pattern terminal hair growth in women, affected 4–11% of the general female population but was prevalent in 65–75% of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It was primarily linked to androgen excess and the pilosebaceous unit's response to androgens. The modified Ferriman–Gallwey (mFG) scoring system was commonly used to assess hirsutism, though ethnic and skin type variations influenced its application. Despite the expectation of elevated serum androgen levels in women with PCOS and hirsutism, some exhibited normal androgen levels, complicating PCOS diagnosis. This review examined the occurrence of hirsutism in PCOS patients with normal androgen levels, highlighting the diagnostic challenges.
April 2019 in “International Journal of Research in Dermatology” Most women with hirsutism have mild symptoms and often experience acne, menstrual irregularities, and obesity.
