Brenner tumors are an uncommon subtype of the

surface epithelial-stromal tumor Surface epithelial-stromal tumors are a class of ovarian neoplasms that may be benign or malignant. Neoplasms in this group are thought to be derived from the ovarian surface epithelium (modified peritoneum) or from ectopic endometrial or Fallop ...

group of

ovarian neoplasm The ovary is an organ in the female reproductive system that produces an ovum. When released, this travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where it may become fertilized by a sperm. There is an ovary () found on each side of the body. T ...

s. The majority are benign, but some can be malignant. They are most frequently found incidentally on

pelvic examination A pelvic examination is the physical examination of the external and internal female pelvic organs. It is frequently used in gynecology for the evaluation of symptoms affecting the female reproductive and urinary tract, such as pain, bleeding, dis ...

or at laparotomy. Brenner tumours very rarely can occur in other locations, including the testes.

Presentation

On gross pathological examination, they are solid, sharply circumscribed and pale yellow-tan in colour. 90% are unilateral (arising in one ovary, the other is unaffected). The tumours can vary in size from less than to . Borderline and malignant Brenner tumours are possible but each are rare.

Diagnosis

Brenner tumor with annotated coffee bean nuclei

Histologically, there are nests of transitional epithelial ( urothelial) cells with longitudinal nuclear grooves ( coffee bean nuclei) lying in abundant fibrous stroma. Also recall that the "coffee bean nuclei" are the nuclear grooves exceptionally pathognomonic to the sex cord stromal tumor, the ovarian granulosa cell tumor, with the fluid-filled spaces Call–Exner bodies between the granulosa cells.

Similar conditions

Transitional cell carcinoma is an even rarer entity, in which neoplastic transitional epithelial cells similar to transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder are seen in the ovary, without the characteristic stromal/epithelial pattern of a Brenner tumour. Histologically, Leydig cell tumors of the testes and ovarian stromal Leydig cell tumors (ovarian hyperandrogenism and virilization) both have characteristic Reinke crystals. The same crystals were also noted under high power view in Brenner tumor

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Eponym

It is named for Fritz Brenner (pathologist), Fritz Brenner (1877–1969), a German surgeon who characterized it in 1907. The term "Brenner tumor" was first used by Robert Meyer, in 1932.

Additional images

File:Walthard cell rest - very high mag.jpg, Micrograph of a Walthard cell nest, the entity Brenner tumours are thought to arise from. H&E stain.

References

External links

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Histology
at University of Utah {{DEFAULTSORT:Brenner Tumour Ovarian cancer