Words

These explanations came from a OB/GYN website of which I don’t recall the citation. 

MASS
A mass is a general term used to describe an abnormal growth that feels like to bump or a lump anywhere in your body. This term is often used by a doctor upon initial discovery of an abnormal lump in the body.

TUMOR

A tumor is a general term used to describe swelling of a part of the body caused by an abnormal growth of tissue. A tumor can be benign or malignant, and can be solid or cystic (fluid filled).

FIBROIDS
A fibroid is a non-cancerous growth of the uterus that often appears during childbearing years. Also called leiomyoma, this growth starts from the smooth muscle cells that make up the uterus wall and grows into a rubbery ball. These growths can vary in shape, size, and location, as they can be found on the outside or deep within the uterine tissue. Some fibroids can cause abnormal bleeding while some cause pressure on the pelvis, bladder or rectum. Many fibroids never cause problems and often don’t need treatment. If you experience severe menstruation changes, abdominal pain, cramps, infertility, or bowel or urination problems, tell your doctor. They can check for fibroids during a routine pelvic exam, ultrasound, or laparoscopy, which involves a thin fiber-optic camera that tube allows a surgeon to view and treat accessible  growths. Seventy percent of women have fibroids at one time or another, but they only cause symptoms in approximately 25 percent of reproductive-age women. However, a small portion of women may need to have their fibroids removed if they experience chronic symptoms. Medical professionals use hormone therapy to treat severe symptoms, and in extreme cases, surgery may be an option. Fibroids are one of the most common reasons for a hysterectomy, but doctors can also remove just the fibroid especially in the case of women who still desire kids.

Ovarian tumors and fibroids cannot be prevented with medication, dietary changes or herbs. It is recommended that women discuss treatment and prevention with their doctors and always advocate for healthy living overall to reduce risks for every kind of health ailment and disease.

CYSTS

A cyst is a thin-walled sac containing liquid, semisolid material, or gas that can grow on almost any body tissue. Within gynecology, women often develop a cyst on their ovary. This cyst can be either benign or cancerous. However, less than 25 percent of women who have a cyst on their ovary will have a cancerous cyst. An ovarian cyst is found during a pelvic exam or through imaging on an ultrasound, CT, or MRI. It is not detected on an x-ray. If the cyst is big, it can cause pressure. An ovarian cyst can also cause pain if it’s bleeding, ruptured or twisted. Small cysts cause dull or slightly aching pain, but larger cysts can twist the tissues to result in severe shooting or stabbing pains. Unlike fibroids and polyps, cysts do not cause menstrual bleeding; the greatest danger with cysts, aside from cancer, comes when they burst and release their contents into other body cavities, which can cause pain or internal bleeding. Ovarian cysts can be malignant, but most cysts are benign. 

Ovarian cysts are very common in reproductive age women. Most of them are called functional or physiologic cysts that are a result of our monthly ovulation. Each month when you begin your period, a hormone is released from the pituitary gland that stimulates the follicles in your ovary to grow and produce estrogen. One cyst will become the dominant follicle and stop the other follicles from growing. This follicle will rupture at ovulation and release the egg, which makes its way to the fallopian tube. The remaining follicle can fill up with fluid or blood and form an ovarian cyst. This type of cyst has a very specific appearance on ultrasound. These functional cysts will usually resolve on their own after one or two menstrual cycles. They do not require surgery, just monitoring with ultrasound and occasionally anti-inflammatory medication for pain. Each type of ovarian cyst has a specific appearance on ultrasound. Your gynecologist can get a good idea of what type of tumor it is based on its ultrasound appearance.  Your doctor can diagnose cysts through blood tests, vaginal ultrasounds, or a laparoscopy. If a cyst does have the characteristics of non-functional cysts usually some type of surgical removal is required either of the cyst or of the ovary.

POLYPS

A polyp is an abnormal tissue growth on a mucous membrane. Polyps grow on the inner lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, and can push themselves out into the cervix. Uterine polyps range in size from a few millimeters (no larger than a sesame seed) to several centimeters (golf-ball-size or larger). These ball-like structures look like they are emerging from the end of a stalk jutting from the uterine lining of your uterus or cervix. Polyps can be malignant growths, but this usually only happens rarely with older, postmenopausal women. A polyp is made up of glandular tissue. It can cause abnormal bleeding, or bleeding after sex or with exercise. A polyp can sometimes be removed from the cervix in the doctor’s office, or with a D&C, a minor gynecological procedure.