Can an endometrioma become cancerous

[Crystalee]

Hi,

I have an endometrioma that is yet to be removed and probably won't for another 6 months! Can it become cancerous?

[Gweeda]

Hi Crystalee,

Endometriomas are caused by the endometriosis bleeding. The blood starts to collect and stick together as it gets old. So generally they are just sticky old blood clots which grow every month as the endo bleeds. In the most part these are completely benign. It is very rare indeed that these go on to become cancerous. The risk of ovarian cancer is slightly increased in women who have endometriosis, but that isn't in an endometrioma. And if they have found the endometrioma, they would have spotted any cancerous growth at the time.

The fact that your surgeon is in no rush to remove the endometrioma is another reassuring factor. If they thought that you were at risk of it becoming cancerous, you wouldn't be waiting so long.

Are you being treated at a specialist centre? (If you're in the uk?). If not, you should be. Ask your GP to refer you to the closest one for the best treatment possible on the NHS.

Hugs

[Crystalee in reply to Gweeda]

Thank you for your reply and being reassuring, the only way they spotted this and classed it as an endometrioma is through a pelvic ultrasound. So really it's just old blood that's formed into some kind of cyst?

I'm from Australia and our healthcare system is over flowing, so the wait time can be pretty lengthy.

Thank you for your reply, can it grow bigger as I wait?

Xxx

[Gweeda in reply to Crystalee]

It was explained to me that the endometriosis is just womb lining growing outside the womb. So when we shed the lining of the womb, this also sheds and bleeds. As it is in a place that it shouldn't be, the body doesn't deal with it and it collects in pockets inside us (pouch of Douglas is where mine was - common place to get them).

I was given zoladex injections while I waited for my op to shrink the endo and stop the endometrioma getting any bigger but I was also having the final part of hysterectomy and ovaries were getting removed. As you are still young I'd hope they aren't taking your ovaries out! I know they can give this injection or a form of the pill to decrease the formation of the endo and thus slow any growth on the endometrioma to women who hope to go on and have family. Might be worth asking for these if you are to have a long wait?

Otherwise, it may get a little larger but they usually take quite a time to form so I doubt it would grow too much in that time scale. I'd still want mine to stop growing though, especially knowing the bowel complications that an endometrioma can cause when in the pouch of douglas. I'm sure if you can get an apt to discuss this with your doctor, they should oblige you.

I'm sure that there are many horror stories from people who had a different experience to me but I have to say that they managed to remove mine without any damage to the bowel and no need for any bag or horrible long hospital stay.

If you don't want to take the pill etc, I'm sure that it will still be totally fine. They are nicknamed 'chocolate cysts' because of their colour. Sounds horrid but it's just like a big bulky scab lol.

I know that you will worry about it until they have removed it and given you the results of any pathology carried out on it. But really, try not to. It will be whatever it is whether you worry or not and the chance of it being cancer is tiny. Having lost my friend to the big C recently (ovarian), I realise now how much time I have wasted on worrying and it hasn't changed a thing! Could've used that time to do something I enjoy instead. Don't make my mistakes!

Here if you want to chat or need to ask anything xx

[Crystalee in reply to Gweeda]

Thank you, I'm having a hard time trying to accept what is happening in my body. I don't want it to affect my ovaries or any of my fertility organs as I want kids more than anything in this world!!! If you have an endometrioma is it likely that they remove your ovary or? I'm so scared, I really am I don't know how long it will be before I have my surgery and I don't know how safe it is really to keep this cyst inside of me I cry every night

[dawntildusk]

Is your gynae a bsge specialist? i would recommend you have your op with them and not a general gynae. under a skilled surgeon it is possible to have endometriomas removed and save the ovary. please make sure that they carry out excision of endometriosis at the same time as the endometrioma removal. x