Hirsutism caused by an androgen-producing ovarian tumor. A case of arrhenoblastoma.

A 34-year-old woman with excessive facial hirsutism and a 18-month history of amenorrhea was found to have an ovarian arrhenoblastoma of the intermediate type. The endocrine profile was determined before, during and after surgery. Determination of hormone levels indicated that, although both the delta 4 and delta 5 pathways were involved, the delta 4 pathway was probably predominant in androgen biosynthesis. Four weeks after removal of the tumor, the menstrual cycle was normalized and has subsequently remained regular. Six yr after operation, the patient had lost her hirsutism and neither radiological, palpatory nor endocrine signs of either recurrence or metastasis have been observed.