Usually cyst size for surgery?

[shenanigans28]

After reading through the forums here I've noticed that 5cm seems to be the standard for when surgery should be considered.

However my doctor mentioned at our last appt. that doctors usually wait until 8cm (as long as the cyst is a simple one).  He said that before 8cm there is still a chance of the cyst resolving itself.

Assuming that my 5cm cyst is simple (ultrasound is next week)  should I push for surgery sooner than 8cm?  I've already having a lot of symptoms which have increasingly worsened as the cyst grows.  

Thanks for any help!

[hopeshell]

No, if your cyst is simple, then you can wait if your doctor feels it is ok.  5cm is just the beginning mark where they consider surgery.  Some doctors do wait a bit longer.  The concern is more for complex cysts.  Although all cysts run a greater risk of rupture as they grow past 5cm, you body handles simple ones much better than complex ones.  When a simple cyst rupture, it will release fluid that your body will reabsorb over time.  A benign complex cyst like a dermoid has many things inside (like hair, teeth and nails) and it can cause infection .  Of course, all malignant cysts are complex.  A rupture of a malignant cyst could lead to the spread of cancer.   So, the guideline of 5cm is just a starting point and each cyst has to be evluated individually.

Good luck on finding answers and the best treatment!

Shelly

[randomnumber]

It's possible that it would also depend on how big *you* are. I'm a tiny person - I weigh 90lbs - so 5cm on me takes up a lot more space than 8cm on an average person.

In any event, I'd say that symptoms vary and the impact on your day-to-day life is what they should be taking into account. What the 8cm cut off (not a number I've heard before) probably means is 'regardless of whether this was bothering you, anything over 8cms needs removing'.