Can Ovarian Cysts be Cancerous?
Ovarian cysts are very common. They are fluid filled swellings on the surface of the ovary. Ovarian Cysts can appear both both before and after the menopause. But young women have larger chance to suffer from Ovarian Cysts. Cysts may appear on one ovary or both ovaries.
Most cysts are not cancerous (benign) and have a very low risk in cancer. Many studies have investigated the best way for the treatment of ovarian cysts. In the past, surgery for the cyst was the choice of treatment. But studies show that regular monitoring of the cyst, the ultrasound and blood tests, is better for most women.
If you have an ovarian cyst you should have regular blood tests to check for a protein called CA125. This protein in the blood of women with ovarian cancer will rise. But protein CA125 can rise in other conditions such as:
- Ovarian cysts
- Pelvic or abdominal infection
- Endometriosis – a condition where the lining of the womb (endometrium) grows outside the body of the womb
- Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis)
- Pregnancy
Some medical research institutes have established guidelines for doctors in the treatment of women with Ovarian Cysts. They recommend that doctors should monitor these women with the CA125 test and ultrasound scan. But this may vary depending on:
- The size of the cysts
- What they look like on a scan and
- Whether they change over time
The guidelines say that the risk of developing cancer is very low, if you have small cysts on an ovary (less than 5 cm wide). Over half of these cysts disappear on its own within 3 months. The institutes advise a follow-up ultrasound scan 4 months after the cysts. Unfortunately, at this moment, there are no comparable guidelines for women with ovarian cysts that have not yet menopause.
