Response of a mucinous ovarian tumor of borderline malignancy to human chorionic gonadotropin.
Plasma and urinary steroid hormones were measured before and after an injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to a postmenopausal woman with a mucinous ovarian tumor of borderline malignancy. Hormones were also measured in blood from a vein draining the tumor, and circulating gonadotropins and plasma and urinary steroids were measured before and after tumor removal. Baseline levels of plasma progesterone (P), androstenedione (delta 4 A), and estradiol (E2), and urinary estrogens and pregnanediol were high; they increased dramatically in response to hCG and fell after tumor removal. A less striking increase in testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and DHEA sulfate was noted after hCG injection. A gradient existed between tumor vein and peripheral vein levels of P, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, delta 4 A, E2, DHEA, and cortisol. Plasma follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones initially low but rose to the postmenopausal range after surgery. These results indicate the presence of delta 4 and delta 5 androstene pathways within the tumor. The responsiveness of the tumor to hCG provides further evidence that hCG may be the endogenous stimulus to steroid hormone production by epithelial ovarian tumors.
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D003537:Cystadenoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006729:Hormones, Ectopic / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D006729:Hormones, Ectopic; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone