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chocolate cysts and cancer

I had my laproscopic surgery today and had the left ovary removed.  When they gotin there things were not as they appeared on the ultrasound, they said that I have endometreosis and that what I had was a chocolate cyst.  He told me that it is not cancer.  Does this mean that all chocolate cysts are non cnacerous and I dont have to anxiously await pathology on anything?  I feel so much better already.  Thanks in advance for your help.
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Avatar universal
They will definatley test what they took, its standard to test everything that is took out, where ever it is in the body outside or in.   Its very highly unlikely its cancer, endometriosis is quite common, its something they thought I had based on my ultrasound findings ( I wasnt worried about cancer when I thought it was that, as alot of my friends have it) and when they went in it wasnt that either, lots of cysts can mimic each other on ultrasound and look similar, so they really dont know until they go in and take it out what it is.  
Take care  
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The doctor told me that it was not malignant after the surgery however I was so groggy that I ddidnt have the chance to ask if there was going to be testing done on what was taken.  This is not what they were expecting to find when they went in there based on my ultrasound findings, this was better, so I am really not worried anymore about it.  I was just wondering if there was any chance at all that it could still come back as cancer.  Thanks for the info, I have been searching everywhere without being able to find an answer so I really appreciate it.
Christy
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Avatar universal
Hi There,

Please do not worry, endometriosis and chocolate cysts are not cancer.  Chocolate cysts are basically called 'endometriomas' and form from quite severe endometriosis.  With endometriosis, blood from your monthly cycle forms outside the uterus/womb and therefore has nowhere to escape and can stick to your organs like glue (as my Gyno explained it).  This is what they thought I had, but when they went in I didnt have it, I had another type of cyst.  

Endometriomas form in quite severe cases, over the ovaries where the blood from each cycle can build up into a cyst, the blood is thick and dark, hence looks like chocolate, which is where the term chocoloate cysts come from.  But essentially its a build up of old blood.  They can be drained, and given meds to shrink them (The pill which stops you having your period) or removed completely, and all the other adhesions of sticky blood removed during surgery.  

In extrememly rare rare cases and I think its something like 0.1% there is a risk of cancer, this is extremely rare, and usually happens in women past menopause where its probably been left for years and years, Gynos can normally tell as soon as they go in to look what it is, so I really would not worry.  Anything that is removed has to be sent to pathology for testing.

I understand your anxiety during the wait.  I recently had a dermoid  and my right ovary removed, I knew there was a 2% chance it could contain cancer, and mine had a lot of solid tissue inside and was 10cm, but thankfully it was all benign.

Be rest assured, 2 of my friends had severe endometriosis along with endometriomas removed and went on to have healthly babies afterwards.  

Best wishes, Yvonne x
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