Cyst size & results

CSabol

Hi All,

I'm just curious about ovarian cyst size & dx's.  Does cyst size mean cancer?

LorettaMarshall

CSabol~Ovarian Cyst SIZE doesn't determine Ovarian cancer

Good evening CSabol~

 Every time someone new comes on this site, I learn something new.  Normally I am not a “woman of few words, but in this case, I can answer your question.  According to the many medical references below the size of an ovarian cyst does not automatically mean it is cancerous.  That being said, naturally it is the first thing we’re concerned about, because some can be cancerous as well.    So I will just list below my name several references all relative to Ovarian cysts and Ovarian Cancer.  The explanations are concise and easily understood.   

 As always, I suggest getting a SECOND OPINION from a medical facility known to have Gynecological concerns as one of their specialties.  You haven’t told us why you are asking the question, so I am left to give you the facts as I read them below.

 All the best,

 Loretta Marshall

Peritoneal Carcinomatosis/Ovarian Cancer Stage IV

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 1.   http://www.healthline.com/health/cancer/ovarian-cancer-cysts#Overview1

 “Cysts and Ovarian Cancer

 Just because you’ve had an ovarian cyst, doesn’t mean you have or will develop ovarian cancer. Many women get cysts at some point during their reproductive years.

 A woman’s ovaries are small — only about the size of an almond — and are located deep within the pelvis. Within the ovaries, eggs grow inside a sac or follicle. When the egg is ready, the sac opens to release the egg into the fallopian tube. After that, the sac dissolves.

 If the process doesn’t go the way it should, a sac containing fluid or air can develop. This is a cyst. Cysts that form in or around the ovaries can be hard to feel and may cause only mild symptoms…

 Types of Ovarian Cysts - Did You Know? - There are many types of cysts, and most are benign.

 Cysts that form during the menstrual cycle are called functional cysts. There are two types of functional cysts. Follicle cysts form when the egg fails to break out of its sac. These types of cysts usually disappear on their own within one to three months. Corpus luteum cysts develop when the sac closes up after releasing the egg, allowing fluid to accumulate inside. These cysts usually last only a few weeks.

 Sometimes, eggs mature in the sac but are never released. As the menstrual cycle repeats, sacs grow larger and can cause multiple cysts. This is known as polycystic ovary syndrome.

 It’s less common to develop a cyst before you experience your first menstrual period or after menopause has taken place. If it does happen, your doctor may want to investigate further. It’s relatively rare, but cysts can be malignant or cancerous. Fortunately, most cysts are benign or not cancerous.

 Besides functional cysts, there are other types of ovarian cysts.

 Cyst adenomas are liquid-filled cysts that develop from cells on the surface of the ovary.

 Dermoid cysts are made up of a variety of different cell types.

 Endometriomal cysts can develop in women who have endometriosis. This condition causes the tissue that lines the uterus to grow outside the uterus. An ovarian endometrioma can form if this tissue attaches to an ovary…

 Tumors and Ovarian Cancer - Did You Know? - Not all tumors are cancerous.

 A tumor is a growth of abnormal tissue. Some tumors are malignant and some are not. Like ovarian cysts, ovarian tumors may cause only minor, easy-to-dismiss symptoms at first. They’re also hard to feel, even during a physical exam. That’s why it’s difficult to detect early-stage ovarian cancer.

 Symptoms of ovarian cancer are similar to that of ovarian cysts and may include:

 abdominal swelling or bloating

abdominal pressure and pain

trouble eating or feeling overstuffed

frequent or urgent urination

menstrual irregularities

painful intercourse

 Report unusual symptoms or changes in your menstrual cycle to your doctor. The sooner you know what’s going on, the better. The outlook for ovarian cancer is much brighter when it’s diagnosed and treated in the early stages. According to the American Cancer Society, only about 15 percent of ovarian cancers are found in stage 1.

 Ovarian cancer is rare in young women. The median age of a diagnosis is 63. A woman’s risk of developing ovarian cancer is fairly low, with only 1.3 percent being diagnosed, according to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER)…”

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 2.  http://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovariancancer/detailedguide/ovarian-cancer-detectionCan ovarian cancer be found early? (2014, August 11).

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3.  http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/gynecology_obstetrics/specialty_areas/gynecological_services/conditions/ovarian_cysts.html

 Green, Isabel. Benign ovarian cysts. (n.d.).

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 4.  http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/expert-answers/tumor/faq-20057829

 Moynihan, Timothy. What’s the difference between a tumor and a cyst? Could a cyst be cancerous? (2013, August 7).

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5.  http://womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/ovarian-cysts.html

  Ovarian cysts fact sheet. (2012, July 16).

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 6.  http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/ovary.html

SEER stat fact sheets: Ovary cancer. (2014, April).

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7.  http://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovariancancer/detailedguide/ovarian-cancer-what-is-ovarian-cancer

  What is ovarian cancer? (2014, August 5).

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CSabol

Thank you for the reply.  I'm

Thank you for the reply.  I'm 52, post menapausal (periods stopped over 4 years ago) with a T2 hyperintense cystic mass in the right adnexa which measures 5.9 cm. It slightly increased in size from the time I had ultrasound to when I had an MRI (for mass on my PKD kidneys). 

abdominal pressure and pain (yes but could also be my extremely large kidneys)

trouble eating or feeling overstuffed (yes but same as above)

frequent or urgent urination (yes but same as above)

menstrual irregularities (n/a)

painful intercourse (sometimes)

LorettaMarshall

CSabol~U R wise 2B vigilant N keeping a check on this mass!

 Good afternoon CSabol:

 Sure hope you’re getting every possible check on this mass particularly since you are post menopausal.  Sorry I can’t be more helpful, but the links below might help you compare tests that you have already had with those suggested helpful below.  Since you answered some questions in the affirmative, it’s important that medical doctors correctly diagnose this, as it looks like malignancy “could be” more of a possibility in post-menopausal patients. 

 Keep after the doctors until you have “exhausted” them in a search for the answers you need.

 Loretta

 https://nortonsafe.search.ask.com/web?chn=1000820&geo=US&locale=en_US&o=APN11907&page=1&prt=NSBU&q=convert+5.9+centimeters+to+inches&ver=22

 I’m always interested to know the size of something compared with “inches” since that is what I am most familiar with.  So here is the conversion number of your cyst in inches.

 5.9 centimeters is equal to 2.322835 inches. 

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  1.  http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adnexal-tumors/basics/definition/con-20027916

2.  http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ovarian-cysts/basics/treatment/con-20019937

 Ovarian cysts – treatments and drugs

 “…Surgery. Your doctor may suggest removal of a cyst if it is large, doesn't look like a functional cyst, is growing, or persists through two or three menstrual cycles. Cysts that cause pain or other symptoms may be removed.

 Some cysts can be removed without removing the ovary in a procedure known as an ovarian cystectomy. In some circumstances, your doctor may suggest removing the affected ovary and leaving the other intact in a procedure known as oophorectomy.

 If a cystic mass is cancerous, however, your doctor will likely advise a total hysterectomy plus removing both ovaries and the fallopian tubes, as well as your uterus. Your doctor is also likely to recommend surgery when a cystic mass develops on the ovaries after menopause…”

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    3.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3650202/

 Multimodality imaging of ovarian cystic lesions: Review with an imaging based algorithmic approach

 “Abstract

 Ovarian cystic masses include a spectrum of benign, borderline and high grade malignant neoplasms. Imaging plays a crucial role in characterization and pretreatment planning of incidentally detected or suspected adnexal masses, as diagnosis of ovarian malignancy at an early stage is correlated with a better prognosis. Knowledge of differential diagnosis, imaging features, management trends and an algorithmic approach of such lesions is important for optimal clinical management. This article illustrates a multi-modality approach in the diagnosis of a spectrum of ovarian cystic masses and also proposes an algorithmic approach for the diagnosis of these lesions…”

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   4.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20093590/

 “MRI, CT, and PET/CT for ovarian cancer detection and adnexal lesion characterization.

 Iyer VR¹, Lee SI.- Author information - Abstract

 OBJECTIVE:

 The purpose of this article is to describe the role of MR, CT, and PET/CT in the detection of ovarian cancer and the evaluation of adnexal lesions.

 CONCLUSION:

 The goal of imaging in ovarian cancer detection is to expeditiously distinguish benign adnexal lesions from those requiring further pathologic evaluation for malignancy. For lesions indeterminate on ultrasound, MRI increases the specificity of imaging evaluation, thus decreasing benign resections. CT is useful in diagnosis and treatment planning of advanced cancer. Although (18)F-FDG-avid ovarian lesions in postmenopausal women are considered suspicious for malignancy, PET/CT is not recommended for primary cancer detection because of high false-positive rates.”

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  5.  http://vermillion.com/patients/ova-1/background/

 “WHAT IS A PELVIC MASS?

A pelvic mass, also known as an ovarian or adnexal mass, is a tissue mass in the adnexa of the uterus, which refers to the space occupied by the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes. Ovarian masses can be a risk factor for ovarian cancer, however most masses are often not cancer and go away on their own without treatment within a few menstrual cycles.

 In premenopausal women, most adnexal masses are caused by:  

• ectopic pregnancy

• ovarian adnexal cysts

• tumors

• polycystic ovaries and abscesses

  After menopause, more likely causes include fibroid tumors, fibromas, and malignant tumors.

  Diagnosis

  The majority of ovarian masses are benign, but diagnosis is difficult because there are many forms it can take. In fact, most are asymptomatic and are discovered during a routine pelvic or other examination rather than because they cause pain or discomfort.

  Management

  Most ovarian cysts develop, shrink, and disappear within the course of a single menstruation cycle. In some cases, however, they grow larger and remain in the ovary, fallopian tube, or uterus. An ovarian adnexal mass must be carefully evaluated using information obtained from a physician’s exam, imaging/ultrasound, and appropriate blood testing for ovarian cancer.

  If ovarian cancer is identified, surgery is more aggressive and involves the removal of more tissue. This is important to minimize recurrence or spread of the cancer. Surgical removal of a malignant tumor is likely to be followed up with a course of chemotherapy treatments.

  Discovering a pelvic mass can be a scary and overwhelming experience. Download Your Personal Guide to Asking the Right Questions About Your Pelvic Mass, which will help settle those fears by better understanding what you’re facing and taking action with OVA1.”

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