This is a retrospective study carried out between the years 1979 and 1989 to look at the anatomopathology of tumours and ovarian cysts occurring in women over 50 years of age who had operations in our department. We found a raised incidence of malignant tumours (30%) when a late diagnosis is made (70% diagnosed at stages 3 and 4). There was a higher incidence of fibrothecomas (10%) along with the nine tumours. This is an important finding because functional cysts have only been found in non-menopausal women or in women who have recently had their menopause who have been taking hormone replacement therapy. Ovarian cysts in menopausal women are therefore primarily organic. This result makes it possible to outline a therapeutic regime specifically designed for the menopausal women. In effect the proposed treatment would either be laparoscopic surgery or laparotomy because it is very doubtful whether ultrasound puncture should be carried out because one cannot be sure that it is not a malignant cyst. The authors take the occasion of this study to view the complimentary tests that can be carried out for ovarian cysts. These are mainly ultrasounds and estimations of CA125. The therapeutic methods that are available are then transparietal cystectomy or intraperitoneal cystectomy or intraperitoneal cystectomy which means laparotomy with removal of the cyst.