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Androgen Excess Disorders in Women pp 75–84Cite as

Androgen-Secreting Adrenal and Ovarian Neoplasms

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Part of the book series: Contemporary Endocrinology ((COE))

Abstract

Androgen-secreting neoplasms (ASNs) are generally associated with rapidly progressive symptoms of hyperandrogenism, which result in various degrees of virilization. A plasma concentration of testosterone of more than 200 ng/dL (8.7 nmol/L) (or two to three times the upper normal range) with a normal dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) level is highly suggestive of an ovarian ASN. The value of low dexamethasone suppression test is associated with high sensitivity but limited specificity in differential diagnosis of hyperandrogenism. Suppression of testosterone levels by administration of a progestogen or gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist will not discriminate an ovarian ASN from hyperthecosis, but will strongly orientate the diagnosis to the ovarian origin of androgen excess. Ovarian and adrenal venous catheterization and sampling should be reserved for patients in whom the presence of a small ovarian tumor cannot be excluded on imaging studies and restrictive to expert unit.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fédération d Endocrinologie, Pole Est des Hopitaux de Lyon, Bron, France

    Michel Pugeat, Gérald Raverot, Ingrid Plotton, Aude Brac de la Perrière & Pascale Mirakian

  2. Laboratoire de Radioanalyse, Pole Est des Hopitaux de Lyon, Hopital Neuro-Cardio, Lyon, France

    Henri Déchaud

  3. Laboratoire d Anatomie et de Cytologie pathologiqus, Hopital Lyon Sud, Pienne-Benite, France

    Nicole Berger

  4. Département de Chirurgie, Hopital Lyon Sud, Pienne-Benite, France

    Jean Louis Peix

Authors
  1. Michel Pugeat
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  2. Gérald Raverot
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  3. Ingrid Plotton
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  4. Aude Brac de la Perrière
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  5. Pascale Mirakian
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  6. Henri Déchaud
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  7. Nicole Berger
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  8. Jean Louis Peix
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Androgen Related Disorders, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Medicine, The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA

    Ricardo Azziz MD, MPH, MBA

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

    John E. Nestler MD

  3. Department of Endocrine Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France

    Didier Dewailly MD

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© 2006 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Pugeat, M. et al. (2006). Androgen-Secreting Adrenal and Ovarian Neoplasms. In: Azziz, R., Nestler, J.E., Dewailly, D. (eds) Androgen Excess Disorders in Women. Contemporary Endocrinology. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-179-6_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-179-6_6

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-663-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59745-179-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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