Ovarian production of estrogens in postmenopausal women

We investigated the possible secretory capacity of the ovaries of 79 postmenopausal women with and without endometrial carcinoma using chemical, enzymehistochemical and ultrastructural methods. The mean serum levels of estrone, estradiol and total estrogens were higher in ovarian effluent blood than the corresponding values in cubital venous blood. There was a positive correlation between the difference of total estrogens in ovarian and cubital vein sera and, on the other hand, enzymehistochemical and ultrastructural findings in ovarian tissue. No statistical differences were found in the peripheral mean values of estrone and total estrogens between the two groups. The mean level of estradiol, however, seemed to be higher and that of estriol lower in the carcinoma patients than in the control groups.