SEXUAL PRECOCITY DUE TO INTERSTITIALCELL TUMOR OF THE TESTIS: REPORT OF 2 CASES

Abstract

SEXUAL maturation in the male occurs normally when the interstitial cells of the testis (Leydig cells) are first stimulated by anterior pituitary gonadotropins. This event occurs normally at any time between the ages of 10 and 14 years. Rarely, a functioning tumor of these interstitial cells may arise before the age of 10, causing precocious puberty. In his recent book on precocious puberty, Jolly (1) was able to find only 16 such cases in the literature, and reported 1 more. Since publication of this book, 1 additional case has been reported (2). We wish to add 2 cases to this scries. CASE HISTORIES James G., an 8½-year-old colored male, was seen at a boys' reformatory where he had been institutionalized because of his aggressive and antisocial behavior. No early history was available. He was a well developed, muscular boy, much larger than normal for his chronologic age (Fig. 1), 60¼ inches tall and weighing 120 pounds. He had a moderate growth of facial, axillary and pubic hair, an adult penis, an enlarged left testis measuring 2×4 cm., and a small prepuberal right testis measuring 1×2 cm. X-ray examination of his hand and wrist revealed a bone age of 17 years (Fig. 2). A roentgenogram of the skull showed a normal sella turcica. His 24-hour urinary excretion of 17-ketosteroids was 25.7 mg. and his creatinine excretion, 1352.0 mg.