Clinical and morphological features of the ovarian brenner tumour: current state of the problem

Introduction: Ovarian tumours are an actual problem of present-day medicine, being one of the most difficult sections of modern oncology. The majority of ovarian tumours are of epithelial origin. The ovarian Brenner tumour represents a rare epithelial ovarian neoplasm and accounts for 1-2% of all ovarian neoplasms. The aim of the study is to identify clinical and morphological features of ovarian Brenner tumour.

Materials and methods: The material was 5 cases of Brenner ovarian tumour, diagnosed in the study of 4 cases of operational material and 1 case of autopsy observation for the period from 2007 to 2019. Histological and immunohistochemical staining methods were used. The microspecimens were examined on an Olympus BX-41 microscope (Japan).

Results: Ovarian Brenner tumour is a rather rare pathology, the histogenesis of which is debatable. Morphological examination is the main method for its diagnosing. Ovarian Brenner tumours developed in women of middle and old age (the average age was 51.8 years). Women with a malignant ovarian Brenner tumour were older than women with a benign variant (the average age in women with a malignant variant was 55.8 years, with a benign variant - 49.3 years). Benign ovarian Brenner tumour occurred more frequently compared with a malignant one. Malignant and benign variants of ovarian Brenner tumour were characterized by a one-sided nature of the lesion with frequent involvement in the pathological process of the left ovary. Clinically, in patients with a benign variant of the Brenner tumour in all cases an abdominal pain syndrome was determined, combined in one case with metrorrhagia. A malignant ovarian Brenner tumour was clinically manifested by severe abdominal pain syndrome, combined in one case with complaints of an increase in the size of the abdomen, and in another case with intoxication syndrome and a clinic of small bowel obstruction. In all cases a malignant ovarian Brenner tumour metastasized to the omentum and in one case also to the small intestine wall. Macroscopically the ovarian Brenner tumour had the form of a node, the dimensions of which were significantly larger for the malignant variant compared with a benign, dense or soft consistency, on the cross section of a whitish-gray or brown color with cysts. A damaged ovary with a malignant variant of Brenner tumour significantly increased in size, while with a benign one, its size did not change or increased slightly. In all cases the malignant and benign variants of ovarian Brenner tumour were combined with various reproductive system organs pathologies (mucinous papillary cystadenoma of the ovary, serous ovarian cyst, ovarian endometriosis, endometrial hyperplasia, cervical nabothian cysts, uterine leiomyoma).

Conclusions: A study conducted by the authors revealed clinical and morphological features of a rare ovarian tumour - Brenner tumour, which will contribute to a better understanding of this pathology by the doctors of various specialties, and improve the treatment and diagnostic process.