Weird ovarian cyst- cancer?
Posted , 9 users are following.
Hi,
A few days ago gynecologist said, I have ovarian cyst. She said it propably isn't anything really bad, but she is sending me to the hospital, so I don't think it is "nothing".
The cyst has something solid inside. Tomorrow I will do ROMA test and I am really scared 
yesterday I checked only ca-125 and it is 8,5 (0-41,5)
My father's sister had uterus cancer
Can You, please, look at this scan of ultrasonography photo and suggest something? These little, white spots inside cyst aren't part of picture- this big one thing is.
I know it is hard to tell, but please, anything...
Should I be worried?
0 likes, 32 replies
sanya11314 marpow
Posted
Don't worry at this point at all.
First of all, your CA125 doesn't indicate anything. Is completely negative.
Having said though, a CA125 single value is never conclusive on its own.
It can be elevated (>35 or 41 U/ml, depends on test brand) also in benign situations like endometriosis or fibroids or simply be an individual healthy person with higher CA125 naturally, but can also be negative in ovarian cancer.
It is just one puzzle piece and at the moment, negative and good.
It usually is a value, that is monitored if it increased significantly over time when retested, if retesting was indicated in the first place. (depends on histological outcome)
Looked at your ultrasound (love it! Thank you!).
Nobody will be able to see,
if this was a
haemorrhagic cyst (with just an old blod clot),
endometrioma (which is also blod clots),
corpus luteum with solid structure (as it also happens to form)
dermoid
or boarderline tumor
or even malignant growth
like endometrioid carcinoma
especially because we have no further info
(wall thickness, ovarian tissue around, that looked normal. If yes, very likely benign. Doppler mapping ultrasound result.)
and also, because it is impossible to 100% diagnose what the solid is made of since so many different structures look the same in ultrasound.
It's an 'adnexal mass', it does need to be taken out....simply to know what it is.
A little story:
I had a 9cm cysts, gyn thought it to be a simple cyst (only black = liquid), with this size it gets removed so or so since it grew and did not burst (otherwise simple cysts are left alone if no symptoms, functioning ovaries do have cysts)
At hospital something non liquid was seen inside (the white bumps, solids and threads), was immediatly told, that it did not look benign like clot or benign tumor (dermoid) and if they could take my ovaries, uterus...etc out in one operation, if the quick slice test of ovary cyst sample during operation was positive from histology department.
Working in cytology at that time I said 'nope, you take the cyst with the tumor out, then it get's a propper histological slicing, staining and assessment, really knowing what it is and if taken out completely or what the margins were and then we go from there with further treatment'. But, but it would be a second operation. Well, yes, so be it. If it was not macroscopically looking like invasive cancer eating the uterus already, I did not want to rely on a quick test during operation.
And what was it? A BENING tumor, a dermoid/teratoma.
Why I say that:
There are indicators via blood test and ultrasound, if it was most likely benign or malignous, BUT it's still speculation.
It was the other way round for me, they prepared me for cancer and I stayed absolutely calm. Anyway it was going to come out so or so. Why should I freak out prior knowing what it was, being happy that it was found by accident, not that it was found. I was furious though how the message was broken to me without good reason.
So don't be frightend of anything prior knowing what is actually going on until a proper histology result comes in post surgery.
To have 'something white' in a cyst is pretty common and not weird.
If your gyn has seen normal tissue next to the cyst with solid inside, it is most likely benign growth. Also if she/he did assess the cyst wall thickness. Together with the CA125 picture she/he felt comfortable to put it rather into the benign speculation.
Which is good! But still only speculation, just...nothing at all to worry about now. It is state of the art to be sent to hospital for this and also I would just take it out.
Also consider: you got an ultrasound, yipee!
(in Austria we were entitled for an prophylactic ultrasound every year, in Australia there is nothing like that in place, one has to wait until a cyst twists or causes pain. Mine was found due to a prophylactic check up without symptoms. How about yours?)
So or so, you are in good hands, even if it was the worst outcome, you are there for treatment, help, not undiagnosed!
The glass is always half full when something is found.
Again: to differentiate malignant from benign ovarian cysts and masses, HISTOLOGY is the reliable and only method.
Sorry to say, but no worries, you need to have the surgery (laparoscopy I guess) = removal done and wait for histology.
All all the best!
PS: it would be very interesting if you could update us later please if you feel like sharing, what it was histologically. I am very nosy and somehow opening questions is done so much more often than closing them with a result, that could all teach us another experience and learn from.
marpow sanya11314
Posted
1. I'm so sorry... I'm glad your story had happy end.
2. Thank You very much.
I don't have any symptoms- it was prophylactic visit. Well- i have some problems with intestines, but have no idea, if cyst (or whatever it is) can cause them...
I read, that cancer can
i'm also always tired, but i have anemia and hypothyroidism.
Today i will do this Risk of Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm, it is also another cancer marker- he4 (more sensitive in early stages) and it will check my possibility to have cancer.
I'm very anxious, so i'm terrified.
After few hours i will have results (online).
I hope it will be fine...
I had stomach ultrasonography in may and everything there was ok.
I also had ultrasonography of lymph nodes on my neck ( a few bigger)- they are also ok. Urine test 3 months ago was fine.
Waiting is the worst
marpow
Posted
So... I did only he4 marker
I would be waiting 10 days for roma results and 24 I will be in hospital...
I will share he4 results later.
sanya11314 marpow
Posted
Don't hang your heart on HE4 please. It is not the only value to decide, what it is. not at all. Just one piece of investigation.
It's a fairly new biomarker (Human Epididymis protein 4)
Timing of blood sampling, your age, your first periode, if you smoke, lifestyle, cysts, contraception....can influence your personal blood level.
Science has always a big study to do to establish something called 'reference range', what should we call 'normal' in healthy people.
But be sure, people, healthy people are often outside the normal reference, too since we are individuals with individual levels. Not in 1000x outside reference, but I see so many people getting grey hair, worrying sick if they just missed the upper reference border. It might be pathologic, but it can also be just fine normal.
12 hours before blood taking do not take multivitamins containing biotin/Vit B7. This seems to influence the value for sure.
Best is day 7 -10 if you are having natural cycles (to avoid false slight higher levels)
HE4 like CA125 cannot be used as a sole screening test for cancer, because...it is not always positive when something malignant is happening and when positive on the other hand does not always mean cancer.
It's not an absolute evidence,
it's just a puzzle piece in a whole picture together with other investigations.
A good puzzle piece though, but not absolute.
Just make sure to not take it 100% absolute please.
Mild evevations of HE4 might be found in other gynecologic conditions, that are not malignous (like ovarian cysts, cystadenomas, leiomyomas, myomas, fibromas, and endometriosis, hypertension, congestive heart failure, renal and liver disease..... I copied that out for you to get some ideas.)
....
It's great to get a base blood value now to see if one is grossly out of range and then look as to why and it might be retested later to see, what the value is doing.
That is the main purpose of CA125 and HE4....giving a hint and used in series.
But it is not absolute like histology.
Good screening still of course.
Hence it doesn't matter when the result comes in.
Do you get it removed on the 24th or just ROMA assessment?
Does ROMA assessment decide if you get surgery or not?
Or is it a pre surgery assessment (for quality, risk, study reasons)?
Since you worry much, I really highly recommend to have it removed no matter what ROMA says.
All will be good!
Great this prophylactic check up exists! Australia sucks with such prophylactic measures, that can save a hell lot of trouble and be it a twised ovary due to weight of a benign cyst.
marpow
Posted
I'm totally weird o.O
Called my gynecologist to ask about this "hospital thing" and she said I will only have tests and my ultrasanography showed II grade- she didn't say what she means, but I found in the internet (of course), that it may be endometriosis.
So I'm a little less scared.
sanya11314 marpow
Posted
marpow sanya11314
Posted
You're right- I will/ i would
In hospital i'll ask about removing this thing.
sanya11314 marpow
Posted
marpow sanya11314
Posted
Thank You!
Still waiting for he4 results
marpow
Posted
I'm soooo mad
Nurse, who took blood sample said, that results will be online after a few hours
Today i've called laboratory and they said, that i will have to wait 5 days!
catrinadawn marpow
Posted
try not to worry too much, I know its hard but our bodies are a wonder and sometimes they do weird weird things.
I was very lucky with my cancer, was caught so so early.
Like the others say, a CA 125 Level can vary for many many reasons.
Try not to worry
marpow catrinadawn
Posted
After a few hours I will be in the hospital... It is soooo scary! Because of thanatophobia I'm afraid of narcosis and i'm really panicked.
He4 is 23,5 (range 0-60,5).
sanya11314 marpow
Posted
Very good, that is a very low base HE4 23 pM.
That's brilliant.
Don't panic about cyst removal, it's a very common procedure,
we all have been there multiple times and even my child could do it.
All will be good. It's not a massive surgery, it's only a cyst with something in it, that will be taken out, right? Laparoscopically even, very minimal invasive compared to laparotomy. The cut to get cyst out might have to be a bit bigger 2-3-4-cm (mine was pulled through near belly button cut), but still less than cutting whole abdomen open accross.
And narcosis is a blessing, doing it without would be the problem! Think that way.
Best of luck!
All will be good. You might feel a bit nauseas after operation and going to loo unsuccessful first try, you might feel some pain in shoulders as the rest gas creeps up, that's all normal, but the peace of mind having some structure gone, that should not be there, is more than worth it.
Please to still curiosity let us know, what it turned out ot be histologically since seeing the white structure on the ultrasound, which can be a number of tissues.
THANK YOU!
BEST WISHES! THINKING OF YOU!
marpow sanya11314
Posted
Thank You
Turned out my cyst (with something solid inside) is gone
i spent only a few hours in hospital.
I'm really happy
Michellestar87 marpow
Posted
That's great news did they scan you again ? All that worry for nothing ??????now relax xxx
marpow Michellestar87
Posted
They did
It's nice to hear some good news- last months were terrible- always "something"- hypothyroidism, gerd, 2x haemorrhage after teeth removals (and my coagulation is fine
)...
I also have diplopia (since 4 years)- not always- oculist said it is hidden strabismus- optician was giving me too strong contact lenses for a few years- i guess i will have to do mri- ct was fine.
Last year broke me.
But now i'm enjoying this little surprise