Endometrial Cancer in a Transgender Man with Prolonged Exogenous Testosterone Use

Abstract

Background: Hormone therapy (HT) in transgender males requires monitoring. For amenorrheic transmasculine individuals on HT, episodes of abnormal vaginal bleeding should be assessed promptly.

Case: A 33-year-old transgender man on exogenous testosterone therapy for medical gender transition was found to have stage IV endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma. Surgical resection was performed for symptom control, and the patient was treated with palliative chemotherapy. The tumor was androgen receptor-negative, and, after a multidisciplinary discussion of the risks and benefits of continuing exogenous testosterone, testosterone therapy was restarted postoperatively.

Conclusion: Long-term androgen use may have unknown implications for the development of malignancy, and treating reproductive organ cancer in transgender males may be complicated by the desire to continue androgen therapy.