Hi I've recently been told I have a 7 by 2 cm ovrian cyst . They took blood and found i have raised ca125 levels and they are concerned. Had my bloods done again and will get results Tuesday. If the levels are the same or higher I'll be fast tracked to see a gyno. I'm 24 with 2 young children and terrified it may be cancer as doc said it can't be ruled out !! Please help I'd appreciate any advice or similar situations
Lots of things can raise that test. i have heard most Dr's do not rely on that to heavily, I had a 7,5 cyst removed last year. They may just see if yours goes away on its own
Hiya thanks for your reply. Did you have ca125 levels checked? I wasn't to worried at first until they start talking about cancer . At the scan he didn't day what kind of cyst it is, I have asked since but no one's telling me anything. Waiting is so hard. I can't help but think the worst
becca most cyst arent cancerous. Lot of thing raise the ca 125 I had a large cyst and mine was raised and it wasnt cancerous.Try not to worry my doctor dosent believe they should be used as they are so unreliable.
Thank you. That's good to know . I haven't a clue how high it even is! I'm hoping that regardless of what my test results come back as , they'll book me in for another scan asap , they were thinking if re scanning in October but that's so far away. Did you have your cyst removed? X
Could you ask for a copy of your test reports so you can see exactly what type of cyst they suspect and exactly what the ca125 level is?
Not sure , but I think I'll definitely ask and find out. When I last saw my doctor I asked if she knew what kind it was and she just said that on the report from the hospital no detail was given other than Size and location .worth a try though x
Def ask and ask for the CA125 level. You have a right to have a copy of the results. Are you in the UK?
Certainly going to try. Yes I'm in the UK x
Good luck. When I was rushed to the breast clinic last month they sent a copy of the report which was for the doctors surgery to my house. Hopefully you have a file number with the hospital and can obtain a copy 😊
Yes I had the blood test also and it was in the normal range, however I have heard of many many women who have had elevated blood results and they did not have cancer. I think the odds at your age are slim although even if it was you are dealing with it head on and getting it taken care of.
Becca,
My CA 125 numbers were super high and told I had cancer. That was by gyno. I had a huge cyst on each ovary and many smaller ones. For 2 weeks I was making end of life decisions!
Finally got in to surgeon, 97% sure not cancer. I relaxed significantly and TG he was right. Cysts, endometriosis, etc. can elevate CA 125 blood levels. It's just one piece of the diagnostic puzzle. Majority are benign but they can't tell for sure until they go in. They do testing to confirm. Mine was caused by previously undiagnosed endometriosis.
So please try and relax. You need a gyno referral anyway. I assume you're in the UK. I don't understand why GPs are so slow to refer women to gynaecologist when there is a gynaecological problem. Wait and see torturing women for months. Impeding access to the care they need.
Type of cyst will influence treatment plan. Some do eventually resolve on their own. It doesn't sound like you're in pain which is good, but based on the size it likely needs to be removed.
When you get the gyno referral ask for one with cystectomy expertise. (Just removing cyst and not ovary). Sometimes the cyst has taken ovary and it needs to be removed too. But if not, better to preserve ovary if possible. Based on your age I would think default would be to preserve but better to be sure.
It's difficult to determine type of cyst from just a ultrasound. Ask about MRI or CT. Much better resolution and detail to aid diagnostics.
Make a list of questions, be sure you are answered and understand the answers. Don't be shy about asking for a better explanation. Some Drs. are so technical and speed through forgetting most patients don't understand the lingo.
Hope this helps. Take one step at a time and don't assume the worse. Best wishes for speedy resolution.
Hope so. It's all I can think about . I was ok until the doctor said she wasn't happy and cancer was a possibility. It was like a smack in the face x thank you for your help and replying z
I'm hoping they sort put sooner rather than later . I'm holding onto the fact I'm young and haven't had the menapause. Hopefully it'll have shrank . X
Thank you so much for your reply. She did rush through very fast and said they were going to watch and wait. It's like mental torture. I often feel stupid asking questions and feel like I'm wasting time and keeping them from something more important. But after reading your reply I realise asking g questions and understanding what they are saying is very important. I'm going in for results on Tuesday and will keep you posted. Fingers firmly crossed x
As others have said, the CA125 test is pretty useless. Many things including benign cysts can cause an elevated result. I had a (benign) mucinous cystadenoma and my CA125 was in normal range (less than 36) but a friend had the same type of benign cyst and her CA125 was over 1000.
VERY FEW ovarian cysts are cancerous. Ovarian cancer is rare if you do not have a family history / genetic predisposition.
Unfortunately, many surgeons remove the ovary along with the cyst. For one, it's easier plus some may not have good cystectomy (cyst removal) skills. But removal of even one ovary can impair fertility and also permanently impair hormone production / endocrine function. The ovaries are not just for reproduction; they are also endocrine glands and studies show that they produce hormones our whole lives (especially a good amount of testosterone in our 60's and beyond) that are essential to good health.
That being said, since your cyst is 7cm it may not
Your Dr. is the professional you partner with to maintain/restore your health. You should feel informed and trust you have a complete understanding. Not dismissed and shuttled through.
Keeping you in my thoughts. XXX
I must have hit a wrong key - wasn't finished typing. It's possible your cyst will resolve on its own as most due. If it appears to be complex, the chances of that are less but it does happen sometimes. But at the same time, you don't want it to get much bigger since that can cause ovarian torsion and may make it harder to save your ovary or at least enough ovarian tissue for normal hormone production.
An MRI or CT may be helpful to get a better view but CT scans expose you to radiation and in my case, the radiation and expense wasn't worth it because I needed surgery anyway.
Best wishes with getting proper treatment! Will be watching for results of Tuesday's appointment.
Yes I had a total hysterectomy mine was huge 37cm on one ovary and 3 cm on the other its been a little over 2 months for me. Maybe they want to rescan then to see if its any smaller. Cyst are very common most at your age resolve themselves.Try not to worry. Im sure you will be fine.
Thank you for your reply. All my consultant kept saying was how big it was. But when I asked what kind it was and if it was a simple cyst he left the room ! So I got changed went to reception and was told to go see my go for bloods and referral haven't heard much since apart from these levels which by the sounds of it seem very unreliable xx be in touch Tuesday! X