Risks and Complications Of Ovarian Cysts
While most ovarian cysts are harmless and disappear on their own over time, some women can experience cysts that are painful, very large, or even cancerous.
Many women get cysts on their ovaries and don’t even know they’re there. The body reabsorbs them and they heal unaided.
For other women, benign (not cancerous) ovarian cysts may cause some pain or discomfort around the time of ovulation or if a small ovarian cyst bursts, but again, many women don’t really realize that’s what has happened. They simply experience a twinge or some abdominal pain that passes and don’t seek treatment because it goes away on its own and does not persist.
But there are some kinds of ovarian cysts – most notably dermoid and cystadenoma ovarian cysts – that can grow quite large, causing undue pain and discomfort and requiring surgical removal. Neither dermoid or cystadenoma ovarian cysts are cancerous, so from that standpoint they pose no risk to the woman. However, the enlarged size of these ovarian cysts may impact other organs around them and certainly result in tenderness, increased sensitivity in the abdominal area and possibly during sex, and pain.
Dermoid ovarian cysts – also known as mature cystic teratomas – can grow up to 6 inches in diameter and may contain fatty tissue, dense calcifications, bone, cartilage, or hair, not just fluid. Cystadenoma ovarian cysts develop from tissues of the ovaries themselves and can be full of mucousy fluid, growing to 12+ inches in diameter. Both need to be surgically removed if they grow to a noticeable size.
A polycystic-appearing ovary is an ovary that grows or enlarges to two times its normal size and frequently has cysts on it, as well. Depending on the size and discomfort, treatment for this condition may also be necessary.
Finally, women suffering from endometriosis may also experience endometrioid cysts – cysts that grow from endometrial tissue – which is the tissue that grows within the uterus. Endometriosis occurs when this uterine tissue grows outside the uterus, causing pain, irregular bleeding, and other problems.
Most women’s worst fear regarding ovarian cysts is that they could be a cancerous tumor. In pre-menopausal women with enlarged ovaries or ovarian masses, 20 percent can be cancerous. Of post-menopausal women with ovarian masses, up to 50 percent may be cancerous. Each year, more than 15,000 women die of ovarian cancer.
Therefore, while many ovarian cysts are absolutely benign and pose no problems whatsoever, if a cyst becomes evident on pelvic examination; is suspected due to symptoms like pain, bleeding, or a mass growing in the abdomen; or shows up on a scan given for another reason, a physician should monitor the cyst and determine if removal is warranted. If removed, cysts are sent to a lab where they are checked to determine if they are cancerous or benign.
One in 56 women in the United States will develop ovarian cancer. If ovarian cancer is found before it has spread to other organs, there is a 75+ percent chance of survival for five years or more. If ovarian cancer spreads to other organs before it is discovered, the survival rate drops to only 20 percent.
