Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypes of Ovarian CystsRisk FactorsSymptoms of CancerDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosis
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types of Ovarian Cysts
Risk Factors
Symptoms of Cancer
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Ovarian cysts, fluid-filled sacs that develop in and on theovaries, can be cancerous, but the likelihood of that depends on when in a woman’s life they occur.
Beforemenopause, or the cessation of menstruation, ovarian cysts are less likely to be cancerous. They are more likely the result of normal ovulation and other causes. After menopause, new cysts are somewhat more likely to be cancerous, though the vast majority will be harmless (benign).
Ifovarian canceris suspected, a healthcare provider will perform a pelvic exam and run some tests. Treatment commonly involves surgery, but may include chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, and other therapies.
This article offers you an overview of different types of ovarian cysts and when they might be cause for concern. It also further explains how ovarian cancer may be diagnosed and treated.
2:12Understanding Ovarian Cancer Symptoms, Stages, and Treatment
2:12
Understanding Ovarian Cancer Symptoms, Stages, and Treatment
In most women, cancer is a rare cause of anovarian cyst. There are many other possible reasons, especially before you reach menopause. The risk of ovarian cancer tends to rise with age, with most cases occurring after menopause.
Before menopause, common types of ovarian cysts include:
Other health conditions that may lead to ovarian cysts before menopause include:
The picture is slightly different for women after menopause. Common causes of ovarian cysts in these women include:
Despite the increased incidence of ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women, the lifetime risk is still relatively low. At age 60, a woman’s risk of developing ovarian cancer in the next 10 years is about 0.3%. The 10-year risk rises slightly to 0.4% for a woman at age 70. The overall lifetime risk of a woman developing ovarian cancer is 1.3%.
What Does a Ruptured Ovarian Cyst Mean?
There are certain features of an ovarian cyst that make it more likely to be cancerous. There also are risk factors that can increase a woman’s odds of a malignancy.
Ovarian cancer is more likely in women with:
Older age also plays a role, but this does not mean premenopausal women are not at risk. At age 40, roughly one in 870 (0.1%) are at risk of developing ovarian cancer in the next 10 years. The lifetime risk through age 80 and up is 1.3%.
Abnormal ovarian cysts often are calledpathologic cystsin lab reports. This does not mean that the cyst is cancerous, but simply that it is unusual in its shape, size, or consistency. Most pathologic cysts end up being deemed benign.
Symptoms of Cancerous Ovarian Cysts
Symptoms alone cannot indicate whether an ovarian cyst means cancer or is benign.
Women with ovarian cancer will often have vague abdominal symptoms. They include:
Where these symptoms become more relevant is in women over 50. Such symptoms seen after menopause, along with a significant family history of breast or ovarian cancer, strongly indicate a need for further testing.
Ovarian Cancer Symptoms
RecapOvarian cysts rarely lead to a cancer diagnosis in women who have not reached menopause. In most cases, there is another reason for these cysts. The risk of ovarian cancer rises with age and a family history of cancers linked to BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations.
Recap
Ovarian cysts rarely lead to a cancer diagnosis in women who have not reached menopause. In most cases, there is another reason for these cysts. The risk of ovarian cancer rises with age and a family history of cancers linked to BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations.
Most ovarian cysts are found during an annual pelvic exam.
The evaluation may also involve arectovaginal examin which a finger is inserted into the vagina and another into the rectum to get a better sense of the size and consistency of the cyst.
Women at high risk of ovarian cancer or with an abnormal pelvic exam will commonly undergo a series of tests. They include:
Computed tomography (CT)scans tend to be less sensitive than MRIs and are less useful in the initial diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Similarly, blood tests used to evaluate and monitor for other cancers, such as thecarcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) test, may be less helpful for ovarian cancer.
Differentiating Benign and Malignant Ovarian Tumors
When cancer is suspected, a healthcare provider will often perform abiopsyto obtain a tissue sample that can be evaluated in the lab. However, that’s not typically the case with ovarian cancer, especially in postmenopausal women. This is due to concern that the biopsy itself may spread any cancer cells.
Instead, a definitive diagnosis is achieved through surgery. Common procedures include:
In the United States, around 5% to 10% of women will undergo surgical evaluation of an ovarian cyst. Of these investigations, 13% to 21% will reveal cancer.
How Ovarian Cancer Is Diagnosed
How Ovarian Cancer Is Treated
Most women diagnosed with ovarian cancer will have some form of surgery to remove the tumor. Depending on the type and stage of ovarian cancer, other forms of treatment may be needed before and/or after their procedure.
Surgery
Many women with ovarian cancer will undergo ahysterectomywithbilateralsalpingo-oophorectomy. This means the uterus, both ovaries, and both fallopian tubes are removed.
If cancer is limited to one ovary and caught in the earliest stage, it may be possible to keep the other ovary and fallopian tube. Most women, however, are likely to have both ovaries removed. This is true even if they are younger and hope to become pregnant one day.
Chemotherapy
This usually involves platinum-based drugs like cisplatin or carboplatin. They are combined with another type of drug called a taxane, which includes paclitaxel and Taxotere (docetaxel).
Other drugs may be added to chemotherapy. They are usually given through an IV every three to four weeks for three to six cycles.
Targeted Therapy
Targeted therapies help to kill cancer cells but cause minimal harm to normal tissues. Their use is based on specific genetic mutations, or changes, that are associated with ovarian cancer.
A link between BRCA genes and an elevated risk of ovarian cancer is well-established. Other research suggests ovarian cancer risk may be linked to the MSH6, RAD51C, TP53, and ATM genes.
These drug options, most often used to treat people with BRCA mutations, include:
What Are Nabothian Cysts?
Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy can treat certain types of ovarian cancer or prevent their return.
Hormone therapy options include:
Radiation
Radiation therapyis less commonly used to treat a primary ovarian tumor. It is more often used to treat areas where cancer hasmetastasized(spread).
This typically involves external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), in which a narrow beam of ionizing X-ray radiation is directed at cancerous tissues for several weeks.
Brachytherapy, involving the implantation of radioactive seeds into tumors, is rarely used to treat ovarian cancer.
Depending on the type and stage of cancer involved, doctors can generally predict a woman’s long-term outlook (prognosis). This is based on standard five-year survival rates, which estimate the percentage of women who will live forat leastfive years following diagnosis.
According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rates for women with epithelial ovarian cancer (the most common kind) that has spread beyond the original site are:
The outcome of surgery also plays a role in survival rates. Women with an ovarian tumor that is debulked well have a better outlook than women in whom tumor tissues remain.
Summary
Ovarian cysts are quite common in women. Most of the time, these cysts are benign. They do not mean a cancer diagnosis, and some may even resolve on their own. Others are linked to different conditions, such as PCOS. But there is a risk of ovarian cancer associated with these cysts. Though it is rare, that cancer risk increases with age.
Symptoms seen in women age 50 and over become more of a cause for concern. The risk also is higher in people with a family history of cancers that suggest a genetic link to the condition. A healthcare provider can help you to determine what’s causing any cysts and the best course of action for treating the condition.
A Word From Verywell
As scary as it may be to hear that you have an ovarian cyst—or, even more specifically, apathologicovarian cyst—be aware the majority are benign. Even so, it is important to have any abnormal growth checked out and regularly monitored in the unlikely event it becomes cancerous.
Even if a cyst turns out to be malignant, early diagnosis almost always will lead to simpler treatments and better outcomes. Ever-improving therapies are likely to extend survival times in the coming years, even among women with advanced ovarian cancer.
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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