Disappearance of a Virilizing Adrenal Tumor Following Therapy with Cyproterone Acetate

In 2005, a 57-year-old woman who had been treated with medications known to promote hair growth and an anabolic steroid, developed extremely high serum testosterone levels and a virilizing adrenal tumor. Despite the initial belief that her virilization was iatrogenic, further investigation revealed a 2.3 x 1.5 cm adrenal nodule. The patient declined surgical intervention and was instead treated with cyproterone acetate (CPA), an antiandrogen, for four months. Remarkably, both the clinical and hormonal abnormalities reversed, and the tumor became undetectable on imaging. The patient remained symptom-free, marking the first reported case where CPA had a curative effect on a purely virilizing adrenal tumor, suggesting potential non-surgical treatment options for similar cases.