Virilism/etiology Archives - Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia

ABSTRACT Hyperandrogenic syndromes include diseases that manifest through an increased biological activity of androgens and that can originate from neoplastic or functional diseases. Androgen-secreting ovarian tumors represent about 1% of ovarian neoplasias. Steroid cell tumors are among the more rare types which account for less than 0.1% of all ovarian tumors. They are usually benign, of small dimensions and unilateral. We report here a rare case of a unilateral steroid cell tumor. A 60-year-old woman was seen after four months of evolution of hirsutism, clitoris hypertrophy and elevation of serum estradiol levels. Her total testosterone and 17-OH-progesterone levels were also increased.