Borderline Ovarian Cyst

[Nat2]

I had a large (25cm) Ovarian Cyst removed last week, the frozen section came back as Borderline. I am 28 years old and have no children, my CA-125 was 85 pre-op.  I feel healthy and had no symptoms beforehand apart from swollen tummy, I back up and walking around and feel fine this week.

Is a Borderline Cyst the same as having Borderline Cancer?  I'm waiting for my path results to come back and am a bit nervous (well more than a bit!). I don't really understand what borderline means, my Dr said "It is not cancer but it is not benign, they are abnormal cells" - what on earth does this mean?  I know that the path results "will tell all" but I'm eager to hear whether or not this is in fact a type of cancer and am keen to hear from people who have had similar experiences and what the follow-up treatment was.

[Gatsby]

Welcome!  I believe it means that it has the high potential of becoming cancer, however there are many women here who have had borderline cysts and will be along shortly to help ease your mind.  You are in my thoughts and prayers.  Godspeed
~Tascha

[chelan2]

Hi, the borderline cyst is the same as what others call borderline ovarian cancer.  It is considered by some to be cancer and others not to be cancer.  But, it can return and can spread although it happens rarely.  This is for the LMP borderline.  There is another type of borderline also called MPSC which is more serious (it doesn't sound like you have this one)and more aggressive.  Borderline is hard to diag pathologically and my dr recommended I have a second opinion on the final pathology.  I also had a frozen section that said it was borderline LMP and the final pathology and the second opinion all agreed with that diagonsis.  There is a specialist at John Hopkins (see there ovarian cancer site for more info)who specializes in ovarian borderlines, if you can get a second opinion on the pathology that would be the place to go. (I'm in Canada so went elsewhere - although the second opinion was a specialist in gynological pathology).  I was recommened to have a TAH at some point and have 6 mos follow-ups for several years then move to yearly follow-ups.  You should still have these follow-ups.  I have heard of others who did not consider this cancer and didn't have proper follow-ups only to be diag. with agressive ovarian cancer many yrs later, so I didn't want to take that chance.
Debbie

[hershe]

hey I just have a few questions
I to have a 25cm cyst that has not been removed.how long had you had it before it was removed?what type of cyst was it?
did they tell you it looked diffrent on your ct or us?
whta type of sergery and how long were you in the hospital?
thank you

[Nat2]

Thanks for the responses. I am in the UK so might not be able to get hold of that specialist.

Hershe - I went to my GP on the 31st March and had it removed 4 weeks later under the NHS (which is the public health service). I had it out last Friday and have a large vertical scar from my pubic region to above my belly button - it is larger than I thought it would be.  I came home yesterday and feel fine, I am able to walk around and get up and down stairs.  I hope you read this - I was not sure how to respond to you directly.

[Nat2]

Sorry I forgot to answer your other question.  I had Transv u/s and normanl u/s and CT scan - they could not see where the cyst was coming from before the surgery but suspected the left ovary which it was.  They said that it did not look suspicious from these tests but only pathology from a biopsy can give you the answers you need.

[sparky_kh]

Hi. I know this thread is quite old now and you are probably not following it anymore. But just in case you are.. I was just wondering whether you had to have your ovary removed? I have recently been diagnosed with a borderline ovarian cyst (there appears to be a polyp on one side). The gynaecologist told me that the ovary will need to come out along with the cyst.

[Casey06]

If you go to the doctors forum and search on borderline tumor, LMP or borderline mucinous tumors, you may find info you need.

Standard care for LMP tumor is removal of at least ovary and potentially complete hysterectomy.

By the way, they don't know if it is benign, malignant or borderline until after surgery and pathology is done. Imaging alone (CT, MRI or US) cannot conclusively determine.

Good Luck.