[Clinicopathological features of ovarian Brenner tumors]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and diagnosis of ovarian Brenner tumors. Methods: Forty-seven cases of ovarian Brenner tumors were enrolled from January 2012 to May 2018 at Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University. Clinical data, imaging examination, histopathological characteristics and immunohistochemical phenotype were analyzed. Results: The age of the patients ranged from 30-73 years and the mean age was 55 years. Thirty-nine patients (83.0%) were postmenopausal. Forty cases (85.1%) of the Brenner tumors were benign, five (10.6%) borderline and two (4.3%) malignant. Usual tumor markers of ovarian carcinoma, including CA199 and CA125 were normal or mild elevated in the 47 cases. Imaging before surgery was not specific to Brenner tumors. Microscopically, benign Brenner tumors were composed of nests of bland, transitional-type cells within a fibromatous stroma. In our 5 cases of borderline Brenner tumors, mildly atypical transitional-type cells were projected into the cyst lumens and lack of stromal invasion. In 2 cases of malignant Brenner tumors, different degrees of nuclear atypial transitional-type cells exhibited stromal invasion. Immunohistochemical stains for CK7, GATA3, p63 and CK5/6 were positive in all cases. Ki-67 was less than 5% in Brenner tumors, and up to 20%-30% in malignant Brenner tumors. Conclusion: Brenner tumors are mostly seen in postmenopausal patients and are usually benign. Imaging examination and usual ovarian tumor markers do not provide diagnostic value. Diagnosis and classification of Brenner tumors depend on histopathological evaluation.