Ampullary carcinoma developing after androgenic steroid therapy for aplastic anemia: Report of a case

Sex steroids influence the development and course of human genital carcinomas including breast, testis, prostata, and ovarian cancers. (1) Other carcinomas such as hepatoma, cholangioma, and pancreatic cancer have also been reported to be related to sex hormones. (2-4) The existence of sex hormone receptors has been demonstrated immunohistochemically in specimens of these diseases. We recently encountered a patient in whom an ampullary carcinoma developed 39 months after the start of androgenic steroid therapy for aplastic anemia. Immunohistochemic analysis of resected tumor specimens of the patient suggested a possible hormonal effect on the tumor oncology.