TLDR In post-menopausal women, signs of increased male hormones should be checked for possible ovarian cancer.
The document discusses a case of a 69-year-old post-menopausal woman with virilizing ovarian tumor, presenting with increased hair growth and high testosterone levels. Imaging revealed a left ovarian mass, and subsequent surgery confirmed a steroid cell tumor of the ovary. Post-operative results showed normalization of testosterone levels and improvement in symptoms. The study concludes that in post-menopausal women, signs of virilization and elevated testosterone should prompt investigation for malignancy, distinguishing between adrenal and ovarian origins to avoid poor prognosis.
November 2022 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Postmenopausal hyperandrogenism, a condition with symptoms like increased hair growth and acne, is usually caused by PCOS but can also be due to other factors. It's diagnosed by checking testosterone levels and treated either by removing the adrenal tumor or through antiandrogen therapy.
10 citations,
May 2009 in “Cases Journal” A woman's masculine symptoms were caused by an ovarian tumor, which improved after surgery.
December 2013 in “Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences” Ovarian steroid cell tumors should be considered in adults with hirsutism and high testosterone, with surgery as the main treatment.
5 citations,
October 2013 in “Endocrine” Blood tests can detect ovarian Leydig cell tumors when scans don't, and surgery can confirm and treat these tumors.
6 citations,
December 2010 in “Case Reports” A woman with high testosterone and an adrenal nodule had an ovarian tumor causing her symptoms, which improved after the tumor was removed.
