# Primary malignant Brenner tumor of the ovary: a case report

**Authors:** Kun Hao, Feng Gao

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1746988 · Frontiers in Oncology · 2026-01-14

## TL;DR

This paper reports a rare case of a malignant Brenner tumor of the ovary and emphasizes the importance of immunohistochemistry for accurate diagnosis.

## Contribution

The novelty lies in presenting a confirmed case of malignant Brenner tumor with specific immunohistochemical markers for diagnostic clarity.

## Key findings

- The patient had a mixed echoic mass in the left adnexa, later diagnosed as a malignant Brenner tumor.
- Immunohistochemistry showed positivity for GATA3 and p63, and negativity for Pax-8, aiding in diagnosis.
- The case highlights the diagnostic challenges and the need for accurate histopathological evaluation.

## Abstract

Ovarian Brenner tumor is a rare type of ovarian epithelial neoplasm, predominantly benign, with only a minority exhibiting borderline or malignant characteristics. Malignant Brenner tumors (MBTs) resemble invasive urothelial carcinoma and often coexist with benign or borderline Brenner tumors. Clinically, they frequently present with non-specific symptoms, including abdominal pain and weight loss. We report the case of a 53-year-old female who presented with a mixed echoic mass in the left adnexa identified by gynecological ultrasound. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses of the resected specimens confirmed the diagnosis of ovarian MBT. The patient was subsequently referred for adjuvant treatment. This case highlights the diagnostic challenge of MBT and underscores the critical role of immunohistochemistry (positive for GATA3 and p63, negative for Pax-8) in confirming the diagnosis and distinguishing MBT from its histological mimics.

## Linked entities

- **Proteins:** GATA3 (GATA binding protein 3), RPE65 (retinoid isomerohydrolase RPE65), PAX8 (paired box 8)
- **Diseases:** ovarian Brenner tumor (MONDO:0002370)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** PAX8 (paired box 8) [NCBI Gene 7849] {aka PAX-8}, GATA3 (GATA binding protein 3) [NCBI Gene 2625] {aka HDR, HDRS}, TP63 (tumor protein p63) [NCBI Gene 8626] {aka AIS, B(p51A), B(p51B), EEC3, KET, LMS}
- **Diseases:** abdominal pain (MESH:D015746), weight loss (MESH:D015431), Brenner tumor of the ovary (MESH:D001948), ovarian MBT (MESH:D010049), Ovarian Brenner tumor (MESH:D010051), urothelial carcinoma (MESH:D014523)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

4 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12846983/full.md

## References

16 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12846983/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12846983