Doctor thinks mass is more than a cyst

[Laure833]

Hi

Thanks in Advance for any comments.

In May I had a CT SCAN when I went th ER for a Kidney Stone, the Scan showed a mass of 3 cm on my Ovary.

5 Days ago I went to my Gyno and had a vaginal and Adominal (abdominal) Ultrasound done. The Ultrasound showed the mass had grown to 6 cm x 6cm x 3 cm over the month.  My Doctor is concerned due to the fact the mass has a line down the middle, she told me cyst are smooth and this mass is not, she threw out the Cancer word and wants to do more follow up test, Ioted for the C 125 to start. Waiting for the results right now.

Does anyone know why she believes this to be anything other than a cyst ? what does a line down the middle mean ? I was too shocked to asked any questions at the time now I;m kickig myself.


Wanted to add, I have had a low grade fever daily for over a month ranges from 99.7-100.8
I have cronhs so many of the same symptoms for ovarian cancer I could have put off as crohns related.

My cycles are much heavier, I get them later and later sometimes every 30 days, sometimes every 60 days, I'm 40 years old, had my tubes tied at 30, have 2 children, Have 2 aunt on my mom's side who had total hysterectomy, unsure why.

I'm scared if the C125 comes back low and it is a false Negitive.  I want this out no matter what, do they do that ? or do I have to follow the doctors guidelines, I hear about so many woman who's C 125 markers came back 3 or 7 and it turned out they were in stage 3 ovarian cancer, I do I insure 100 %  what this growth is ???

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Hi Laure,
thank you for your complete information. Neta thank you for your excellent comments.

A simple cyst with one septation (line down the middle) is unlikely to be a malignant cyst. CA 125 is not a screening test and was developed to follow women with a known diagnosis of ovarian cancer to see how the cancer was responding to therapy. As Neta says it can be elevated  in many benign conditions such as inflammation, endometriosis, fibroids. As you mention , some women with ovarian cancer do not have a cancer that produces this protein and can have a normal level. But ultimately, it is not a screening test.

If you have an enlarging cyst and are having symptoms, it is reasonable to have it removed. If you have 2 kids and a tubal ligation, fertility is not an issue. Removing the whole ovary makes sense.

best wishes

[Neta100]

Hi there.  On December 2007, they did an abdominal ultrasound due to the fact that I have suffered from urinary infection for almost 20 years.  The ultrasound revealed a 6 cm septated cyst, meaning a wall, and that it could be cancer.  The CA - 125 marker was quite high and the doctor said it was cancer and that he had to remove everything and leave me without being able to have kids.

I was scared as hell, but decided to search on line and talk to doctors.  Last June I finally found a doctor who was also worried about my fertility and told me that I needed surgery so I finally had surgery at the end of December 2008.  What he found out was that the cyst was an endometrioma, a cyst that comes from endometriosis, and that the supposed wall was actually my bowel stuck there and the doctor was able to drain it and did washings.  Then, I was given the 3-month Lupron shot and almost 6 months after, there is no sign of an endometrioma or any adhesions.  

I feel quite well and the doctor told me that I could start trying to have kids.  The marker can be elevated for other reasons, including cysts, fibroids, menstrual period, endometriosis, etc.  Also, many times the ultrasound cannot detect exactly was is going on inside.  The only way to be sure if it is endometriosis or not, is to have surgery, either laparoscopy or open surgery.

Hope this info helps and best wishes.

Neta