title: Incidence, clinical analysis, and management of ovarian fibromas and fibrothecomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to identify the incidence, diagnosis, and therapeutic and histological particularities of ovarian fibromas and fibrothecomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study of 24 patients who underwent surgical treatment for ovarian fibromas and fibrothecomas between January 1994 and December 2006. Clinical, ultrasonographic, tumor marker, therapeutic, and histologic data were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of patients was 49 years. Thirteen patients were menopausal. Ultrasonographic findings were ovarian echogenic tumor in 6 cases, hypoechogenic tumor in 12 cases, mixed tumor in 6 cases, and anechogenic tumor in 1 case. Cancer antigen-125 level measured in 21 cases was abnormal in 3 cases. Twenty-one patients underwent laparotomy. Three patients underwent laparoscopy; however, 1 was converted to laparotomy because of a suspected tumor. Histological findings were 16 fibromas and 9 fibrothecomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ovarian fibromas and fibrothecomas are uncommon, accounting for 3.3% of ovarian tumors. These lesions often occur in perimenopausal and menopausal patients. Clinical, ultrasonographic, and tumor marker data remain the best preoperative approach currently available for ovarian tumors. However, the diagnosis remains histological.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Abdellatif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chechia
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Attia
authors.forename: Riadh Ben
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Temime
authors.forename: Taher
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Makhlouf
authors.forename: Abdelhamid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koubaa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005350:Fibroma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007813:Laparotomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D013798:Thecoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen