Testosterone Secreting Ovarian Tumor: A Rare Cause of Erythrocytosis and Pulmonary Embolus

In 2020, a rare case of a testosterone-secreting ovarian tumor was reported in a 67-year-old postmenopausal woman who presented with hirsutism, weight gain, and an elevated total testosterone level of 672 ng/dL. Despite negative imaging results, the patient's markedly elevated testosterone levels led to the diagnosis of a testosterone-secreting ovarian tumor. This condition resulted in a hypercoagulable state, leading to a pulmonary embolism, and an increase in red blood cell mass, causing marked elevations in hemoglobin. The patient underwent a bilateral oophorectomy, and pathology of the right ovary revealed a 2 cm steroid cell tumor. This was the first known case of a steroid cell ovarian tumor that secretes testosterone leading to pulmonary embolism and erythrocytosis. The study concluded that testosterone-secreting tumors should be considered in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism as a rare cause of a hypercoagulable state.