ovarian fibroma - cancer?

[red1234]

Does anyone know anything about ovarian fibromas and ovarian stromal cancers?  Reason being, the other yr I had my left ovary removed due to a fibroma.  It started out as a "complex cyst" and eventually became a fibroma.  Is there a chance that it was cancerous and just didn't get tested enough?  I'm worried with this new growth that the same thing will happen.  I never used to have any problems with my period or have anything other than follicular cysts that were found on ovary during pregnancy.  They always went away and never caused any problems.  I have my follow up us tomorrow.  Thanks for any info once again!

[MickeyVicki]

If I recall correctly, then fibromas are rarely cancerous.  And while we all know that it could happen, the probability that you had a fibroma that was really a cancer and no one caught that fact is quite small.

[fltatt]

Do you have to remove everthing (hysterectomy) if you have a ovarian fibroma  that is not cancer? Can you just remove the ovary? I have a doctor that wants everthing out. I just want to remove the one ovary. Please help

[Mary 53]

I don't know anything about fibromas, but my gut tells me that you might be dealing with a doctor who wants to "take everything out" as a precautionary measure. I don't know if MickeyVicki will stop by again soon although she dropped by this site around the holiday time this past December. Hopefully she will see your  post. You might want to post again to start a new thread. And, just for the fun of it, if you can go to the profile and at least hit "female" then your name will turn blue and you can give/get private messages...etc. I was not blue for a long time and now I am....and glad of it!

I appreciate the fact that you want to keep everything but perhaps the one ovary. I was apologized to after the doctors went in to take everything after finding a cyst with malignant cells one month before my radical hysterectomy. They said in retrospect that they used the "sledgehammer" approach. Hmmmm....interesting.  

I would encourage a second opinion. If you are told "you don't need these organs...." ...RUN for a second opinion. That is my opinion, at least.

Take care...and, good for you to listen to your body and your gut and to be proactive.


Mary

[dmakkn]

I too had an ovarian fibroma.  My understanding of cancer vs not cancer with a fibroma is the "mitotic count" and how normal the cells looked at a magnification of ten.  Even with a higher mitotic count, as in my case, if the cells look normal it is termed a "mitoticaly active cellular fiborma" and still not cancer (fibrosarcoma).  This is a great study that you may find helpful.

Cellular Fibromas of the Ovary: A Study of 75 Cases Including 40 Mitotically Active Tumors Emphasizing Their Distinction From Fibrosarcoma.

Original Articles

American Journal of Surgical Pathology. 30(8):929-938, August 2006.
Irving, Julie A. MD *; Alkushi, Abdulmohsen MD +; Young, Robert H. MD ++; Clement, Philip B. MD *
Abstract:
Cellular fibroblastic tumors of the ovary are currently classified as either cellular fibroma (CF) or fibrosarcoma. The former are characterized by bland nuclei, 3 or fewer mitotic figures per 10 high-power fields (MFs/10 HPFs), and a low malignant potential, whereas fibrosarcomas usually have severe nuclear atypia, >=4 MFs/10 HPFs, and an aggressive clinical course. The prognosis of cellular fibromatous tumors with >=4 MFs/10 HPFs and low-grade cytology is not established and it is the purpose of this study to investigate that aspect. It has been our anecdotal experience that otherwise typical CFs with >=4 MFs/10 HPFs usually have a benign clinical course, suggesting that such tumors should be regarded as "mitotically active cellular fibroma" (MACF) rather than fibrosarcoma. Seventy-five cellular fibromatous neoplasms were analyzed to determine their clinicopathologic features and the appropriateness of "MACF" as a designation for otherwise typical CFs with >=4 MFs/10 HPFs. The mean age of patients with CF (n=35, 0 to 3 MFs/10 HPFs) and MACF (n=40, >=4 MFs/10 HPFs) was 51 and 41 years, respectively. Patients most commonly presented with symptoms related to a pelvic mass. All tumors were unilateral. The mean tumor size of CFs was 8.0 cm and 9.4 cm for MACFs. The majority of the tumors were solid; approximately one-third of them had a cystic component. Ovarian surface adhesions, involvement of the ovarian surface, or both, was present in 6% of CFs and 10% of MACFs. Eleven percent of CFs and 13% of MACFs were associated with extraovarian involvement. All tumors consisted of cellular, intersecting bundles of spindle cells with bland nuclear features. The mean highest mitotic count for MACFs was 6.7 MFs/10 HPFs (range 4 to 19 MFs/10 HPFs). Follow-up of 3 months to 12 years (mean 4.75 y) was available in 18 of the 40 patients with MACFs and was uneventful in all cases. We conclude that cellular fibromatous neoplasms with bland cytology and elevated mitotic counts are associated with favorable patient outcome and should be diagnosed as MACF rather than fibrosarcoma, which usually have moderate to severe atypia and elevated mitotic rates. As prior observations have shown that even typical CFs can occasionally recur locally, particularly if they are associated with rupture or adherence, long-term follow-up for patients with CFs and MACFs is appropriate.

(C) 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

[Catran]

I just had one of my ovaries removed.  I was a little alarmed when it took a second opinion to get confirmatiion of pathology.  My doctor said it was a benign fibrosarcoma.  Is there really such a thing?  All of the fibrosarcoma info I can find says it's a malignant fibroid.  Does anyone have info on this?

[Sandymac]

At one point last year, it was thought that the cyst I had was a fibroma.. from what I've heard /read, a fibroma is a little like a fibroid only on the ovary and rarely malignant. They thought since mine showed solid components, that was what it was (it was small), but when they got in there via laparoscopy, it was just simple cyst..

I'm not familiar with the other term..sorry.

I, too, think a second opinion may be in order ..

[Catran]

Yeah, they thought mine may have only looked like it was solid and perhaps it was only a cyst.  Upon removal they confirmed that it was a solid mass.  I had 2 labs confirm that it was benign.  I'm confused by the lack of information on the internet.  I guess I will continue routine ultrasounds and request CA125 each year.