Polycystic ovarian disease--current concepts

Hormone-producing tumors of the ovary

The ovary is an endocrine organ that gives rise to a wide variety of neoplastic and tumorlike nonneoplastic conditions, some of which are associated with endocrine activity. The hormones produced may be steroidal or nonsteroidal. The ovary is unique among endocrine organs in reacting to the presence of nonendocrine tumors within it by abnormal or inappropriate production of sex steroidal hormones. A classification of hormone-producing ovarian lesions is proposed based on the World Health Organization's histologicai typing of ovarian tumors.