Anti-Müllerian hormone level in older women: detection of granulosa cell tumor recurrence

Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2012 Nov;22(9):1497-9. doi: 10.1097/IGC.0b013e318270ac69.

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) production resumes during normal late menopausal aging. Anti-Müllerian hormone has been proposed as a specific serum marker for adult granulosa cell tumors.

Materials and methods: Serum AMH from 21 elderly postmenopausal women (mean age, 77 years) and 9 young women (mean age, 22 years) were measured by ultrasensitive immunoassay.

Results: Both median (0 pmol/L) and mean (0.48 pmol/L) serum AMH values for the elderly women were below the level of detection for the immunoassay kit. Three of the 21 participants had minimally detectable level of AMH (1.13-2.76 pmol/L). The cohort of young women had expected normal values of AMH as measurable by the same immunoassay kit.

Conclusions: Serum AMH values were negligible for postmenopausal women older than 65 years. This extends the normative data for AMH to 108 years old, providing a reference range for the detection of granulosa cell tumors in postmenopausal women.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging / blood*
  • Anti-Mullerian Hormone / analysis
  • Anti-Mullerian Hormone / blood*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Early Detection of Cancer / methods
  • Early Detection of Cancer / standards
  • Female
  • Granulosa Cell Tumor / blood
  • Granulosa Cell Tumor / diagnosis*
  • Granulosa Cell Tumor / pathology
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / blood
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / diagnosis*
  • Postmenopause / blood
  • Prognosis
  • Reference Values
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Mullerian Hormone

Supplementary concepts

  • Granulosa cell tumor of the ovary