Large Bilateral ovarian cycts and cancer

[kingy2004]

Lying in bed one day and felt a hard lump in my abdomen, went straight to the doctors the following day and they were concerned enough to make me an emergency appointment at my local hospital.
2 days after had a scan and 2 ovarian cysts were confirmed. 3 days later got a call from my general practioner who said nothing to worry about but I would need to see a specialist to investigate.

Got an appointment at the hospital and had an external and transvaginal scan. Revealed 2 ovarian cysts, the doctor looking at the transvaginal was not happy so called a specialist in who also took a look and confirmed that one of the cysts looked suspect for ovarian cancer , he said it was an irregualr shape and seemed to have solid properties or a speckled appearance..  He sent me for a blood test and a CT  scan and said he would see me within two weeks.

ARE YOU FOLLOWING
Two weeks later I returned to the Hospital and the consultant has told me the following....

C125 Slightly High side of normal at 27
nothing to report other than 2 x cysts , one on each ovary 11cm and 9 cm
No sign of anything spreading
No fluid in the abdomen
On paper he says 20% cancer
Due to the fact that he as a gynaecologist oncologist and based upon  what he can see and the fact that it is bilateral  he would say 50 / 50 but nothing concrete until after surgery. He said I will be having the surgery within 4 weeks and based upon all the facts if it is cancer then this time will not be detremental to me. I am due for a full hysterectomy .( the works)

5 days later I had a pre operative medical and the nurse has said that at the weekly meeting between, oncologist and radiologist etc, they have downgraded the possibility that I may have ovarian cancer due to what they could see on the CT scan and the normal scans coupled with the blood test and may age (37) etc

They have opted to give me surgery on the 18th November which will be 8 weeks after actually finding this.
I don’t feel ill, I just feel heaviness in my abdomen as I know that these cysts are growing?


Can anyone give me advice or support, I am worried sick, I am lucky enough to have a child but feel daunted by the prospect of a hysterectomy, menopause and cancer.

Is it normal to wait this long, and do cancerous tumours/ cysts really get this big without any other spreading showing up on a CT scan. are bilateral cysts an indication of cancer?

Advice would be appreciated .

[melissam8484]

It's hard to know how big they are growing without an ultrasound.  

I know that I felt little "twinges" on my left ovary sometime, I thought it was just because I was ovulating and I heard some women can feel it when they ovulate.  Once I found out I had a mass then it suddenly started to really *hurt*!   My guess is that it didn't actually feel different, but I was so scared that every little bit felt like a LOT to me.

Hopefully that's what's going on with you - probably just knowing that you have cysts makes you much more sensitive to everything you feel.  You can tell the doctor they feel like they are growing and ask if you can have them measured again.  My doctor measured mine every time I went in, just to be sure it wasn't shrinking by itself.  

That would probably be the best thing to know if they were really growing quickly or if you just are suddenly feeling very sensitive because you are worried.  Call and see if you can get a follow up!  If it feels like it's changing then say that clearly to the doctor and see if they think it's worth looking again.  

I'm sorry you're so worried - I know how that feels!  Just stay focused on being as healthy as you can to be ready for the surgery and enjoy this time being active because the surgery will mean you need to rest for a few weeks.    

[kingy2004]

Might I add,

That I have no weight loss,
I am eating normally
I am fatiuged but then again I am at college, have a full time job and an 19 month old son...so who wouldnt be tired
no pain but occasionally tender
no bleeding

[kingy2004]

I have also noticed that the cycts are starting to get bigger and are pressing down on my pelvis, I have started to feel fuller in the lower region and abdomen and I was wondering whether they are pressing on my anal area etc. I can also feel them in my abdomen from the outside, they feel so big and I am very scared. Is it normal for cancerous growths to grow this fast?

[melissam8484]

I had a mass on my left ovary - they found in a transvaginal ultrasound while they were looking at something else.  A week later an MRI, surgery was 3 weeks after that, so four weeks total.  It wasn't cancer  :-)  

I am 38 and while I said that if I had cancer obviously they should remove anything they needed to, I said that if they *didn't* find any cancer they should leave everything in.  They removed my mass and parts of each ovary for biopsy, but were able to leave me with all my organs.

Here would be my advice:

1) Get copies of all the test results and get a second opinion.  This is always a good idea.  Even great doctors have different perspectives and information, and the more people who look at your situation the better.  It was great for me to just hear some of the same advice coming from another person, and some different advice, and another person to ask questions to.  

2) If you don't have cancer they do *not* need to remove your uterus - probably not your ovaries either.  They will probably say that if you don't need the organs anymore (you had children already) and you get cysts that they are trying to save you from future problems.  There is some truth in that argument, but it's also true that there are health risks involved with "surgical menopause" (if they remove your ovaries before you hit menopause).  Originally they wanted to take out my ovaries and maybe uterus even if I didn't have cancer -- after we talked about it more I told them that if I didn't have cancer I wanted to keep my organs so that is what we did!  If you have other complications (fibroids, lots of cysts, family history of cancer) it might make sense to take them out, but it's a big decision and you should get as much information as you can to be sure you are comfortable with the decision that you and your doctor are making together.

3) Don't worry too much   :-)   Of course it's scary, but I tried hard not to worry about cancer until I knew if I had it or not.  I focused on learning what I could about the surgery and being healthy going into it.  I knew that it was most likely I wouldn't have cancer and I didn't!  I'm 3.5 weeks after surgery and I feel great!  

4) Ask questions on here.  The women here are AWESOME.  I spent a lot of time on here before my surgery and figured if I did have cancer that I'd at least have a lot of wonderful folks to connect with online!  

I certainly feel for you - I was terrified at first!  But you're doing the right thing to ask questions and educate yourself.  Keep doing that and definitely post and let us know what you learn and how things are going!  

Melissa