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Previous Volume 329:1539-1542 November 18, 1993 Number 21 Next

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ABSTRACT

Background Inhibin is an ovarian hormone that inhibits the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) by the anterior pituitary gland. Women with granulosa-cell tumors of the ovary have elevated serum inhibin concentrations, but whether the concentrations are increased in women with other ovarian tumors is unknown.

Methods We measured serum inhibin and FSH concentrations before surgery in 212 postmenopausal women with suspected ovarian cancer and after surgery in 210 of them.

Results Eighteen of the 22 women (82 percent) with mucinous carcinomas (mucinous cystadenocarcinomas and mucinous borderline cystic tumors) of the ovary had elevated serum inhibin concentrations, whereas only 9 of the 53 women (17 percent) with serous carcinomas (serous cystadenocarcinomas and serous borderline cystic tumors) had elevated levels. Serum inhibin concentrations were also elevated in 2 of 12 women (17 percent) with clear-cell carcinomas, 4 of 26 women (15 percent) with undifferentiated carcinomas, 3 of 3 women (100 percent) with granulosa-cell tumors, and 5 of 27 women (19 percent) with other ovarian cancers. The serum concentrations of inhibin were increased in 2 of 28 women (7 percent) with nonovarian pelvic cancers and 11 of 41 women (27 percent) with benign ovarian diseases. All women but one with initially elevated serum inhibin concentrations had low values one week after surgery. Serum inhibin concentrations correlated negatively with serum FSH concentrations (P = 0.05) in women with granulosa-cell tumors but not in women with other tumors, suggesting that the inhibin secreted by tumors in the latter group has decreased biologic activity.

Conclusions Serum inhibin concentrations are elevated in most postmenopausal women with mucinous carcinomas of the ovary and in some women with other types of epithelial ovarian tumors. The concentrations fall after tumor removal.

Source Information

From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Monash University (D.L.H., P.M., T.J., A.J.D.), Prince Henry's Institute of Medical Research (H.G.B., M.B.), Royal Women's Hospital (M.Q., R.R.), Mercy Hospital for Women (P.G.), and the Peter MacCallum Institute (J.J.C), all in Melbourne, Australia.

Address reprint requests to Professor Healy at Monash Medical Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 246 Clayton Rd., Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia.

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