Ovarian Dwarfism with Pituitary Tumor

Abstract

The relationship between hormonal abnormalities and the production of pituitary tumors has been emphasized recently. A case is presented of a patient with ovarian dwarfism who was found to have evidence of a pituitary tumor. Initial studies showed enlargement of the sella and elevated urinary gonadotropin excretion. Serial studies revealed suppression of gonadotropin levels in response to estrogen therapy. This patient's findings suggest that prolonged ovarian deficiency may have led to the development of a pituitary tumor. The similarity between this phenomenon and the production of pituitary tumors following gonadectomy in mice is discussed.