Hyperandrogenemia and virilization with simultaneous pituitary and adrenal adenomas.

Abstract

We describe a postmenopausal woman who presented with virilizing hyperandrogenemia and was found to have an intrasellar tumor and a large left adrenal mass. Pathologic studies showed on undifferentiated hypophyseal adenoma with immunostaining for chromogranin only and a benign adrenocortical adenoma. In light of current understanding of the regulation of adrenal androgen secretion and adrenocortical mitogenesis, we postulate that this case may be explained by secretion of adrenal androgen-stimulating and mitogenic factors by the pituitary tumor.