Can an ovarian cyst be linked to ovarian cancer or breast cancer?

UnluckyYouth
UnluckyYouth Member Posts: 9
in Ovarian Cancer #1
I am 16 years old and I have had ovarian cysts since I was 13 when I first got my period. I had very heavy, painful periods that sometimes lasted for more than 8 days. My periods then became irregular and I had odd abdominal pain. My mother thought it might be my apendex so she took me for an ultra scan, I was 14 by then. The docter found a cyst on my left overy. It was quite small, about 4cm. I had another ultra sound done by a diffrent doctor, and she said that I had two cysts, one on each overy, and that the one on my left was actually bigger, about 5cm, and was growing. I followed up with the same doctor. I had so many ultra sound scans that year. I was on contriceptive pills throughout the year, but the cyst on the left kept getting bigger. I eventually had sergury to remove the cyst which was 10cm. The doctor clarified that I had PCOS on the right and that it will soon go away with the pills. It did. But the left overy grew another cyst, almost 3 months after the sergury. She suspected it was endometriosis or cancer. I was 15 by then, and everysince i've been on the pills and the cyst only changed size. I had many blood tests, then I had my apendex removed, and then I got pneumonia. I had many x-rays done for my chest. I'm afaid that the cyst and the x-ray radiations may give me breast cancer or maybe ovarian cancer. I'm seeing a new doctor now and he told me that the cyst is endometriosis just by the ultra sound scan and said that I have to go on the pills non-stop for 6 monthes, and that's what I am currently doing.I turned 16 one month ago. Can endometriosis be possibly spotted through an ultra scan? Would the pills affect me if I took them for that long non-stop?

Thanks.

Comments

  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #2
    SO SORRY
    You sure have had a rough life, at such a young age to be going through so much. I'm so sorry for your pain, and your fears. No way to say if 'cysts' per se can develop into cancer. But what was thought to be a 'cyst' on my ovary was indeed cancer, so it is worth keeping an eye on.

    I have a history of endometriosis. It started at about age 15, and was painful, debilitating, and affected my life greatly. I was on the pill non-stop for a year, and it was not fun. I often wonder if that's what caused my OVCA (all the hormones), or the endometriosis itself is also a possibilty.

    I would highly recommend that you see a gynecologic oncologist, if this is not what your doctor is. They are much more qualified to monitor these types of situations, and they know what to look for. Even if you just see them initially, or on an 'as-needed' basis, they might be able to put your mind at ease. I would also recommend a CA125 test. If you have not had one, try to get at least one. It may not be indicative of anything right now, but it will be your baseline number, by which future numbers will be compared.

    As for testing for endometriosis, a laparoscopy is really the best way to confirm it. Try this website to get some info:
    http://endometriosis.com/

    I wish you well, and you will be in my prayers. Please let us know what you find out. I'm so glad you found this website. I hope you find relief from all of your pain.

    (((HUGS)))
    Monika
  • UnluckyYouth
    UnluckyYouth Member Posts: 9
    #3
    mopar said:

    SO SORRY
    You sure have had a rough life, at such a young age to be going through so much. I'm so sorry for your pain, and your fears. No way to say if 'cysts' per se can develop into cancer. But what was thought to be a 'cyst' on my ovary was indeed cancer, so it is worth keeping an eye on.

    I have a history of endometriosis. It started at about age 15, and was painful, debilitating, and affected my life greatly. I was on the pill non-stop for a year, and it was not fun. I often wonder if that's what caused my OVCA (all the hormones), or the endometriosis itself is also a possibilty.

    I would highly recommend that you see a gynecologic oncologist, if this is not what your doctor is. They are much more qualified to monitor these types of situations, and they know what to look for. Even if you just see them initially, or on an 'as-needed' basis, they might be able to put your mind at ease. I would also recommend a CA125 test. If you have not had one, try to get at least one. It may not be indicative of anything right now, but it will be your baseline number, by which future numbers will be compared.

    As for testing for endometriosis, a laparoscopy is really the best way to confirm it. Try this website to get some info:
    http://endometriosis.com/

    I wish you well, and you will be in my prayers. Please let us know what you find out. I'm so glad you found this website. I hope you find relief from all of your pain.

    (((HUGS)))
    Monika

    Thanks For the help.
    I actually always wanted to go to a diffrent doctor because I wasn't very comfortable with this one. But my parents were, and I guess that was because he was a foreigner. I personnally don't think that thats the way to classify if a doctor is good or not.
    Since Im only 16, I cannot go to a hospital on my own.
    All my previous doctors did blood tests and my surgeon, she did the laparotomp, opened my and took my first cyst out, examined it and tested it SUSPECTED I might have endometriosis. And then this guy comes along, and, from a 1 minute ultra sound he diagnoses the cyst as endometriosis. It was that simple for him. I really didn't like that, and I am quite unsure of his work. He might be right! But I just can't set myself at ease.
    I tried talking to my parents about the problems Im facing, but as I am 1 of 5, they only thought that I wanted extra attension. They never actually told me, but it's obvious that there sick of me complaining as this dragged on for 3 whole years. The same happened with my sibling and friends, but they called me a drama queen as they really diidn't know anything of what I felt.
    I am the first one within my family and friends with ovarian cysts, and since its not malicious, they took it very lightly, but i dont really blame them.
    I never did. It was never easy for me. I didn't want to feel like I had no one to talk to or no one that actually cared so I turned to websites like this.
    Thank you very much for reading and caring.
    I hope I didn't bore you!
    Hope the best for all of you.
  • Glad to be done
    Glad to be done Member Posts: 569
    #4
    UnluckyYouth said:

    Thanks For the help.
    I actually always wanted to go to a diffrent doctor because I wasn't very comfortable with this one. But my parents were, and I guess that was because he was a foreigner. I personnally don't think that thats the way to classify if a doctor is good or not.
    Since Im only 16, I cannot go to a hospital on my own.
    All my previous doctors did blood tests and my surgeon, she did the laparotomp, opened my and took my first cyst out, examined it and tested it SUSPECTED I might have endometriosis. And then this guy comes along, and, from a 1 minute ultra sound he diagnoses the cyst as endometriosis. It was that simple for him. I really didn't like that, and I am quite unsure of his work. He might be right! But I just can't set myself at ease.
    I tried talking to my parents about the problems Im facing, but as I am 1 of 5, they only thought that I wanted extra attension. They never actually told me, but it's obvious that there sick of me complaining as this dragged on for 3 whole years. The same happened with my sibling and friends, but they called me a drama queen as they really diidn't know anything of what I felt.
    I am the first one within my family and friends with ovarian cysts, and since its not malicious, they took it very lightly, but i dont really blame them.
    I never did. It was never easy for me. I didn't want to feel like I had no one to talk to or no one that actually cared so I turned to websites like this.
    Thank you very much for reading and caring.
    I hope I didn't bore you!
    Hope the best for all of you.

    In the beginning ob told me
    In the beginning ob told me that I had a cyst on each ovary and they were no big deal and we would watch them. He watched them all right. They grew and grew and then all of a sudden I got the "there is a chance it could be cancer" I will never go back to that doctor again. He told me the cysts were totally normal and not cancer. Dumb quack. Finally they got so big that he referred me to my surgeon who took one look and said we need to get them out ASAP....

    Go with your gut. Dont give up till someone listens to you...... Yours may be just a cyst. They are very normal and come and go. I would definetly get a 2nd opinion on the whole endemetriosis thing. I hope that is all it is.
  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #5
    UnluckyYouth said:

    Thanks For the help.
    I actually always wanted to go to a diffrent doctor because I wasn't very comfortable with this one. But my parents were, and I guess that was because he was a foreigner. I personnally don't think that thats the way to classify if a doctor is good or not.
    Since Im only 16, I cannot go to a hospital on my own.
    All my previous doctors did blood tests and my surgeon, she did the laparotomp, opened my and took my first cyst out, examined it and tested it SUSPECTED I might have endometriosis. And then this guy comes along, and, from a 1 minute ultra sound he diagnoses the cyst as endometriosis. It was that simple for him. I really didn't like that, and I am quite unsure of his work. He might be right! But I just can't set myself at ease.
    I tried talking to my parents about the problems Im facing, but as I am 1 of 5, they only thought that I wanted extra attension. They never actually told me, but it's obvious that there sick of me complaining as this dragged on for 3 whole years. The same happened with my sibling and friends, but they called me a drama queen as they really diidn't know anything of what I felt.
    I am the first one within my family and friends with ovarian cysts, and since its not malicious, they took it very lightly, but i dont really blame them.
    I never did. It was never easy for me. I didn't want to feel like I had no one to talk to or no one that actually cared so I turned to websites like this.
    Thank you very much for reading and caring.
    I hope I didn't bore you!
    Hope the best for all of you.

    YOU'RE NEVER A BORE!
    We're happy to be able to help.

    I remember when I had endo, each of the three doctors I went to said I was just 'a complaining teenager', and that 'no one my age has endometriosis'. It took a couple of years to finally find someone to take me seriously and do the laparoscopy. Of course, that was back in 1970, 1971 and 1972. They called it the 'career woman's disease' back then. Anyway, I've already told you the rest of the story, so that's why I'm hoping all the more that you find someone more qualified in this area.

    Not that I want you to go behind your Mom and Dad's back, but do you have an aunt or older cousin that you can talk to about this? This is not easy to go through alone. Please don't hesitate to come here, anytime.

    (((HUGS)))
    Monika

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