Terms like “cysts” tend to be frightening, especially when they’re attached to parts of your body, but the reality is that cysts are just fluid-filled sacs that are mostly benign. And this is very much the case with ovarian cysts.
As experts in women's health, Dr. Jose F. De Leon and our team at Kinwest OBGYN are using this month’s blog to take a closer look at ovarian cysts, which are often part and parcel of the ovulation process. The same can’t be said of ovarian cancer, which isn’t all that common.
When we say that ovarian cysts are common, we mean that most women routinely develop them during the reproductive years, the years during which you ovulate. Commonly, two types of ovarian cysts can form:
When you ovulate, the egg comes in a tiny follicle and it's this follicle that breaks open to send the egg off on its journey. Sometimes, an egg doesn’t release properly, so the follicle continues to grow and becomes a larger fluid-filled sac, or cyst. Follicle cysts are common and typically resolve themselves in a few months — and you’re none the wiser.
Another way in which cysts can develop on your ovaries is after the follicle breaks open and the egg is released. The remains of the follicle, which is called the corpus luteum, becomes a mass of cells that makes hormones for the next menstrual cycle.
If, however, the follicle reseals after it releases an egg, it can form a corpus luteum cyst. These cysts typically resolve on their own in a few weeks, but they can become problematic if they grow too large and twist around your ovaries. But notice we still haven’t used the term “cancer.”
Another common driver of ovarian cysts is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which affects up to 12% of women of reproductive age. PCOS is a hormone issue in which androgen hormone levels are too high. This can disrupt ovulation. More specifically, eggs might not mature and release properly when you have PCOS, which can lead to the ovarian cysts we described above.
To illustrate the lack of connection between ovarian cysts and ovarian cancer, let's look at the numbers.
As we’ve just explored, tens of millions of American women develop ovarian cysts during their ovulation years, either as a matter of course or as a result of a condition like PCOS. Yet less than 21,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year in the United States.
As for what issues are linked to ovarian cancer, researchers suspect that genetic mutations, family history, and environment are the greater influencers.
If you've been diagnosed with ovarian cysts and you’re worried about cancer, you can put that worry aside for the moment. Instead, we can work on ways to address the cysts if they’re symptomatic.
For help with ovarian cysts or more information about this common gynecologic condition, we invite you to contact Kinwest OBGYN in Dallas or Irving, Texas, to make an appointment with our team.
