OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical pathologic characteristics, treatment and prognostic factors of ovarian thecoma. METHODS: From 1958 approximately 1998, a total of 74 patients with benign and malignant thecoma were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The reviewed diagnosis were 8 patients with malignant thecoma, 66 patients were benign thecoma. Nine of 66 patients with benign thecoma appeared cell proliferative activity. The mean age was 52 years. The most frequent symptoms were abdominal-pelvic masses (56.8%), metromenorrhagia and abnormal vaginal bleeding, other symptoms were abdominal pain, infertility followed. Twenty-two of 66 patients had ascites, only 1 patient with ascites and hydrothorax simultaneously. Thirty-nine patients with diseases which associate with excessive estrogenic stimulation, including 1 endometrial adenocarcinoma and 1 endometrial dysplasia and other diseases such as: myoma; endometrial hyperplasia and polyp. Fifteen patients with benign thecoma were evaluated blood serum CA(125), the CA(125) were elevated in 9 of 15 patients. In 2 of 9 patients with cell proliferative activity, the tumors invaded adjacent tissues or relapsed, after received operation and pelvic radiotherapy, they are alive 11 years and 27 years respectively. Among 8 patients with malignant thecoma, 4 patients without postoperation therapy or with non-standard chemotherapy died in 2 years postoperation, the other 4 patients received operation, postoperational radiotherapy or (and) chemotherapy, 1 of 4 patients died of irradiation intestinal fistule 4 years later; two patients are alive without disease more than 10 years, another one for 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: Theca cell tumor of ovary have good prognosis, but we should pay attention to thecomas with proliferative activity. The prognosis of malignant thecomas is poor, postoperative systemic chemotherapy or radiotherapy to the patients with malignant thecomas can improve their survival.
OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical pathologic characteristics, treatment and prognostic factors of ovarian thecoma. METHODS: From 1958 approximately 1998, a total of 74 patients with benign and malignant thecoma were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The reviewed diagnosis were 8 patients with malignant thecoma, 66 patients were benign thecoma. Nine of 66 patients with benign thecoma appeared cell proliferative activity. The mean age was 52 years. The most frequent symptoms were abdominal-pelvic masses (56.8%), metromenorrhagia and abnormal vaginal bleeding, other symptoms were abdominal pain, infertility followed. Twenty-two of 66 patients had ascites, only 1 patient with ascites and hydrothorax simultaneously. Thirty-nine patients with diseases which associate with excessive estrogenic stimulation, including 1 endometrial adenocarcinoma and 1 endometrial dysplasia and other diseases such as: myoma; endometrial hyperplasia and polyp. Fifteen patients with benign thecoma were evaluated blood serum CA(125), the CA(125) were elevated in 9 of 15 patients. In 2 of 9 patients with cell proliferative activity, the tumors invaded adjacent tissues or relapsed, after received operation and pelvic radiotherapy, they are alive 11 years and 27 years respectively. Among 8 patients with malignant thecoma, 4 patients without postoperation therapy or with non-standard chemotherapy died in 2 years postoperation, the other 4 patients received operation, postoperational radiotherapy or (and) chemotherapy, 1 of 4 patients died of irradiation intestinal fistule 4 years later; two patients are alive without disease more than 10 years, another one for 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: Theca cell tumor of ovary have good prognosis, but we should pay attention to thecomas with proliferative activity. The prognosis of malignant thecomas is poor, postoperative systemic chemotherapy or radiotherapy to the patients with malignant thecomas can improve their survival.