Growing Ovarian Cyst

[Luther]

I had an ultrasound seven months ago that found a complex ovarian cyst 5.3cm in diameter.  I had another ultrasound this morning that found it had grown to 7.8 cm.

It is going to be removed, but I am having to wait four months.  How likely is this to be cancer, and should I be pushing to have this done sooner?

I live in the UK.

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Dear Luther,
I agree with Angie's sage advice. Most cysts are benign. However, a cyst that is growing should be removed. A CT scan can help triage waiting for surgery versus surgery right away. That is, if the CT scan is perfect - no fluid, no thickening in the bowel walls or the lining of the abdomen, no enlarged lymph nodes - then waiting a few more months is fine.

What was your CA 125 result?
best wishes

[silver&gold]

Hi , I think this is too long to wait for a complex cyst to be removed especially as its nearly 8cm and is growing . Im also from the uk and was messed around with the waiting game until my cyst had grown to just over 10cm .  Most of these cysts are benign but in the small chance that it is malignant 4 months is too long to wait . Unfortunately for me i did have ovarian cancer and wish i had been more insistant  that they remove it earlier but trusted them . I  would be asking  how certain they are that the cyst is benign and don,t be fobbed off with evasive answers as i was . Have you had a ca125  blood test?  or a ct scan ?  which hospital are you attending ? .  Let us know how you get on and  wishing you the very best of luck . Take care Angie xx

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Dear Julie,
I am glad you are getting this cared for. please let us know what happens.
Dear Deb - good luck with your surgery as well

[debkakes]

Good luck, Luther. I have what is called a cystadenoma, but it is actually a tumor. It is filled with fluid, but also has some features that make it complex. The doc said it is PROBABLY benign, but it needs to be removed right away, esp. at 15cm in diameter. The truth is, they cannot know the nature of the thing until they perform the surgery. I am choosing to be optimistic! Good luck with your surgery, and let us know how it goes!

[Luther]

Thank you so much for your comments.

I'm sorry it has taken so long for me to reply, but I only just got my CA125 results yesterday.  The result was 18, and my GP told me this was within the normal range of 0 to 35.

Also, I have now been given a referral to have this cyst removed privately, which means it will be taken out much more quickly now.

Thank you for your help.

[silver&gold]

Hi Julie ,   at the beginning of my relationship with the hospital my cyst was just follicles  it grew over the months under their care and developed a worrying solid component within it , i was told that the chance of it being a cancer was very very small and that i should return 6 months later for another tvus , I did return before this time as was in a lot of pain
and worried that it was more serious, was seen by a different registrar (5 up to that point)and fobbed off and told to go back when the scan was due . Went back for the scan and the cyst was then 10cm thats when they said it was urgent in nov 04 but kept me waiting until april 05 for the surgery . Although my cancer was caught in the early stages 1a , the nature of this cell type (clear cell) is usually caught in the early stages I still had to have chemotherapy as it is a rare and can be a very aggressive type of cancer. Just wanted to get across to you that the doctors sometimes get it wrong and to please make sure that you get the answers to your questions . If  I  had the time over again I would have been more insistant for sure but I was feeling so ill that i just didn,t have enough fight in me at the time .  Good luck  and very best wishes , take care Angie xx

[Luther]

Hi Angie

Thank you for putting this comment up.  My brother has told me a friend of his who is a consultant in the NHS has said I should try to write to my consultant asking just the question you have suggested I ask, so I will try that.

I have had a ca125 blood test, but not a ct scan.  I am going to write once I know the blood test results.

If you mind me asking these questions then don't feel at all that you have to answer, but - how advanced was your cancer when the cyst had reached 10cm?  Also, do you know why they thought it was not urgent?

Best wishes, Julie xx