Can Ovarian Cysts be Cancerous?

Most ovarian cysts are harmless yet some do cause problems due to repeated friction, rupture or bleeding. One must also check for recurring pain in the cysts as an indication of cancer. Usually, cysts in the ovary are small pockets or sacks filled with fluid. All women have two ovaries that serve the function of storing and releasing eggs into the uterus. These walnut-shaped organs produce at least one egg a month with the onset of menstrual cycle.

In case of cancer detection, an ultrasound image of an ovarian cyst is done because it is highly active and tends to spread to the local nymph nodes over a short span of time. Largely occurring in adult women, an ovarian cyst leading to cancer does not have any defined indication. Reasons such as a family history of people having ovarian cancer in the same generation or excessive intake of fertility drugs make women prone to ovarian cysts turning into cancer. Mostly, women have no or little menstruation during this time which leads to a tissue renewal process in the ovarian cells. In this secondary phase, the interstitial spaces in the cells have huge chances of accommodating cyst-like growth that attach themselves to the local blood suppliers in the body.

However, one must remember that not all cysts turn into Ovarian Cancer. The various types of normal cysts are:

• Follicular cysts.
• Corpus luteum cysts.
• Haemorrhagic cysts and Dermoid cysts.

These cysts are harmless in nature and women having it can undergo a normal procedure of removing it.

Read more articles on Understanding Ovarian Cancer