I was asked by a NeuroTalk member for some information about ovarian tumours. Here is a condensed version of what I know, and what I've found out.

I'll start with the basics and then move forward from there, and I do hope some of this proves helpful for you! My references are at the end.

An ovarian tumour is any growth on an ovary. They may be fluid filled and called cysts, or they may be solid. Many ovarian growths are benign, and benign ovarian tumours are not cancerous. They do not invade tissues or spread to other parts of the body, but there's a big possibility that they could grow to a very large size if left untreated.

Classification of ovarian tumours, and diagnosis of ovarian cancer, is based upon these essential investigations:

*Transvaginal ultrasound ..... which uses sound waves to visualize structures
*MRI
*Laparoscopy; the need for which needs to be considered carefully due to the risk of rupturing the tumour.
*Tumour Markers CA125, beta human chorionic gonadotrophin, fetoprotein and inhibin.

Testing your blood for these tumour markers is one way to help diagnose cancer BUT the blood test CA125 can be elevated due to many other conditions apart from ovarian cancer!

* There are many other causes for raised CA125 levels such as ovulation, menstruation, endometriosis, fibroids or benign ovarian cysts. Illnesses such as liver or kidney disease can also cause a raised CA125. For these reasons, a CA125 test alone can not be used to diagnose ovarian cancer. A CA125 test is more helpful in diagnosing ovarian cancer in post-menopausal women than in pre-menopausal women. Tumour marker CA54/61 may or maynot also be ordered with other these investigations.

Treatment:

Cysts are the most common of the ovarian growths. Women with cysts less than 10 cm in size, and who are ovulatory or early pregnant are usually treated conservatively, and then re-assessed after a period of approximately four weeks or so.

If the cyst is gone or getting smaller, then it can be watched until it's gone. This type of cyst is called a functional or follicular cyst. Every ovulating woman gets a cyst every cycle. The follicular cyst usually grows to about 2cm, then it breaks and releases the egg.

Sometimes the follicular cyst doesn't break, but persists and continues to grow. Eventually it will break without any intervention at all, but if the cyst is detected during this stage, cancer also needs to be eliminated.

Common concensus is that these cysts should be allowed to go away on their own. (William M. Rich, M.D. Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California,San Francisco).

When a follicular cyst ruptures, it then becomes known as a corpus luteum cyst. These cysts also go away on their own. Any cyst that does not go away on it's own, must be investigated to eliminate malignancy.

An ultrasound test can often distinguish between a simple cyst and a complex cyst. A simple cyst is just a fluid filled structure. A complex cyst has internal structures or solid areas within it. A simple cyst can be followed. A complex cyst or solid tumor should be operated upon, but to avoid risk of rupturing the tumour and spreading any cancer throughout the abdomen, biopsy of the tumour is not usually recommended.

Types of Ovarian cancer:

The four main types of ovarian cancer are: epithelial (which starts on the outer covering of the ovary); borderline (tumours which are not so aggressive as other types of ovarian cancer); germ cell (which begins in the cells that mature into eggs); and sex cord stromal (which starts in the cells that release female hormones).

Around 90% of ovarian cancers are of the epithelial type, with germ cell and sex cord stromal tumours being rare.

Prognosis:

Prognosis means the expected outcome of a disease. The prognosis for benign ovarian tumours and ovarian cysts is excellent, with most of them shrinking or rupturing without any treatment.

The prognosis for ovarian cancer varies as it depends on the type of tumour and the stage of the disease.

The outlook for women with the less common types of ovarian cancer, such as borderline tumours, is very good regardless of whether the disease is diagnosed early or late.

Germ cell and sex-cord stromal cell ovarian cancers respond very well to treatment and are usually curable. If these cancers only affect one ovary, it should still be possible for younger women to have children after treatment.

For women with the more common epithelial ovarian cancer, the outcome depends on the stage of the disease. Women with stage I or 2 ovarian cancer can usually be cured while many women with advanced cancer respond very well to treatment.

References:

http://www.ijgo.org/article/S0020-72...010-4/fulltext

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/558541

http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/articl...06A0053699.php

http://www.gyncancer.com/ovarian-cancer.html#surgery

http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/boo...on#description

I hope you find this helpful. As you can see I tried to cover all the possibilities, but if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me again.

((Koala)) my dear friend. That was a lot of work!! I appreciate so much
all that you have put into this for me. You know, I should have called
YOU instead of my doctor! You explained it in a way I can understand
My nerves are less shattered now, and I thank you from the deepest
part of my heart. Much love