THE POSTOPERATIVE GONADOTROPIN LEVEL IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN WITH EPITHELIAL OVARIAN-CANCER

Serial estimates of the post-operative hormone levels were made in 15 women subjected to oophorectomy because of ovarian carcinoma. All wome n were post-menopausal. Pre-operatively, they had significantly lower follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels compared with an age-matched control group. Blood samples were collected after a median time of 8 months (139-378 days). After oophorectomy, significantly higher FSH va lues were found (P = 0.0002), whereas the luteinizing hormone (LH) val ues were not significantly changed. The inhibin, estradiol and progest erone values were found to be significantly lowered compared with the pre-operative sample. Total and unbound testosterone levels were signi ficantly lower while dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) and andro stenedione levels were unchanged compared with the original sample and compared with controls. Most likely, estradiol and progesterone are p roduced by the epithelial malignant tumors, as the post-operative valu es are completely comparable with the primarily included healthy contr ols. The FSH is suppressed by inhibin and only to a minor degree by th e steroid hormones as indicated by the correlation coefficients. Of gr eat interest is the question whether inhibin production is random, or defensive, lowering the gonadotropin levels or influencing tumor growt h in some hitherto unknown fashion.