Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor of the ovary: a rare cause of amenorrhea

Abstract

A 15-year-old girl presented to a primary care clinic with secondary amenorrhea, masculinization, and rapidly increasing abdominal girth. Evaluation revealed a large pelvic mass, which was found at laparotomy to be a bilateral Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor producing androgens and high levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). The patient underwent bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Other pelvic structures were uninvolved. The postoperative course was unremarkable, with testosterone and AFP levels in the normal range. A thorough literature search revealed no cases in which bilateral Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors were associated with high AFP levels. This case was unusual in its pathology, dramatic in its presentation, and valuable in its implications regarding the work-up of amenorrhea in young women.