Steroid production in different parts of malignant and benign ovarian tumors in vitro.

Pieces of ovaries and tumors from 45 patients (19 with malignant epithelial tumors, 14 with benign epithelial tumors, and 12 with normal postmenopausal ovaries) were incubated, and the release of steroid hormones from different parts of the tumors and from the contralateral ovaries was measured. Tumor tissue (mainly tumor cells with a small number of stromal cells), tumor base tissue (more stromal cells than tumor cells), and control ovaries were preincubated in oxygenated 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid-minimum essential medium buffer at 37 degrees C for 30 min followed by a 3-h incubation in fresh, oxygenated medium. Progesterone, androstenedione, testosterone, and estradiol were measured in the medium by radioimmunoassay at the end of the incubation period. Malignant tumors released more progesterone and androstenedione than benign tumors or postmenopausal control ovaries. In contrast, benign tumors released more testosterone than malignant tumors or control ovaries. Release of estradiol was low and not significantly different among control ovaries and malignant and benign tumor tissue. Different parts of the tumors differed in steroid hormone release. Tissue samples containing more tumor cells than stromal cells released more progesterone than those with predominantly stromal cells. Thus, malignant tumors had an active steroid secretion. Progesterone was the main steroid released.