Cytohormonal Findings and High Estrogen Levels

To the Editor:—  In reply to an inquiry, Inhorn (199:348, 1967) stated that cytohormonal findings of relatively high estrogen levels after menopause could be explained either by infection, vaginal abnormalities, or certain neoplasms, or else by the cytopathologist's faulty criteria for cytohormonal determination.I would like to point out that in a recent cytohormonal study of a large group of women after menopause (Acta Cytol10:49, 1966) I reported that about half had estrogen levels comparable to those found during the reproductive years. Only 21% of the 5,920 patients in this group ever showed actual atrophy. These results, as well as those of many other workers in this field, have demonstrated that adequate estrogen levels, presumably maintained through adrenocortical activity, are rather frequent and should not be considered an exceptional finding in the postmenopausal woman. I believe this point deserves to be stressed in view of the present