Steroid release from two human epithelial ovarian tumors: evidence for an intrinsic production in vitro

Tissue specimens from the primary tumor and metastasis (histological examination: cystadenocarcinoma) of two postmenopausal women were cut into pieces and were incubated or superfused for 3- to 4-hr periods. The incubation and superfusion procedures were performed in the absence and presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG, 10 IU/ml). After incubation, the medium concentrations of progesterone (P), testosterone (T), androstendione, and 17beta-estradiol (E2) were determined by radioimmunoassay, while after superfusion the medium concentrations of cyclic AMP (cAMP), P, T, and E2 were analyzed. HCG stimulated the production of cAMP in the superfused tissue of the first case and in the second case the addition of hCG to the incubation medium caused a significant drop in testosterone release by the primary tumor and in androstendione release by the metastasis. These results suggest that tissues from primary tumor and metastasis were capable of releasing steroids into the media, supporting the contention that tissue from epithelial ovarian cancers can produce and/or release steroids in its own right.