Secreting ovarian tumors may protect women from osteoporosis.
OBJECTIVE
It is well known that ovarian steroids modulate bone turnover. Conditions associated with low levels of these hormones, such as menopause, hypogonadism, and others, have been related to osteopenia or osteoporosis. On the other hand, hyperandrogenism in premenopausal women, mainly in polycystic ovarian syndrome, has been reported to have a protective effect on bone mass. However, data regarding how bone mass is affected by neoformative processes in which steroids are increased are not as well documented. Our aim was to study the effect of secreting ovarian tumors on bone mass.


METHODS
A total of 14 patients were referred to our hospital because of endocrine ovarian tumors. Steroid levels were measured prior to and after surgery. Bone mineral density (BMD) by DEXA was assessed at inclusion in all cases. Additionally, in 7 women bone measurement was repeated after 1-year follow-up. The setting was a tertiary hospital.


RESULTS
All patients showed increased levels of testosterone, androstenedione, and free testosterone prior to surgery. BMD was also in the normal-upper range or over normal in all of them. As expected in the subjects with a second DEXA a decrease in bone mass was noted.


CONCLUSIONS
Steroid secreting ovarian tumors increase bone mass and thus may protect women from later osteoporosis.
Castelo-Branco
Camil
C
Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Hospital Clínic i Provincial de Barcelona, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. castelo@medicina.ub.es
Gómez
Olga
O
Pons
Francesca
F
Martinez de Osaba
María Jesús
MJ
Balasch
Juan
J
Antonio Vanrell
Juan
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000097:blood*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone