MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor

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Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor

Contents of this page:
Illustrations Alternative Names	Definition Symptoms

Illustrations

Male reproductive system

Alternative Names Return to top

Arrhenoblastoma

Definition Return to top

Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor is a rare cancer of the ovaries. The cancer cells produce and release a male sex hormone.

Symptoms Return to top

The Sertoli cells, which are located in the male reproductive glands (the testes), feed sperm cells. The Leydig cells release a male sex hormone called testosterone. In men, some cancers of the testes can start in the Sertoli and Leydig cells.

Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor is a cancer that starts in the female ovaries. The cancer cells produce and release a male sex hormone, which may cause the women to develop male physical characteristics (virilization), including facial hair and a deep voice.

Update Date: 4/27/2007

Updated by: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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