Ovarian cyst or Ovarian cancer

[Hannah1589]

I’ve been told I have something 7cm large on my right ovary - could be an ovarian cyst but they need to be sure it isn’t cancer so I’m booked for an MRI scan next Friday. I’m worried about process being slow, will it be quicker to reach a diagnosis if I go private? Anyone had any experience of this.

[wobblybee Administrator Pioneer]

🙂 I couldn’t find an answer online..or by searching Healthunlocked. Ring your GP...

I was seen for a breast lump, and had a Mammogram- a needle biopsy and diagnosis..at the same appointment

The MRI tool was found to be able to distinguish between malignant (cancerous) and benign (non-cancerous) ovarian cysts with 90 per cent accuracy, in cases that cannot be distinguished on ultrasound.

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[HowNowWhatNow in reply to wobblybee]

The NHS breast cancer pathway is by far the fastest for cancers more / only likely to be had by women.Your experience of breast cancer checks is the absolute best practice there is and hooray for that. For all cancers, 2 weeks is optimal.

In the private sector there are a lot of delays for scans at the moment - due to NHS delays rippling down.

If you (the woman who asked the question) go private make absolutely sure that their test results can be easily read by / shared with NHS or other healthcare professionals. I’ve had a situation where my private mammogram couldn’t be read by another private doctor.

[Hannah1589 in reply to HowNowWhatNow]

Thanks that’s helpful. I’m a little worried about private and NHS communicating properly. Think now I’ve got this far I’ll stick with NHS to get my MRI and results.

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to Hannah1589]

That sounds like a good plan. Can you find something lighthearted to take your mind off it today? A small child? A film?

I hope the result stands in your favour.

[Tink35]

Hi I'm guessing you had an urgent cancer referral. Just because you've been referred on that pathway does not necessarily mean you have cancer. So you should be seen initially in 2 weeks by consultant and any investigations should be done also in 2 weeks and results should be reported on in I think 2 weeks. That does sound like a long time but that is the protocol at our hospital. I don't know anything about private health care. I hope this helps and sincerely hope that all turns out well for you x

[Hannah1589 in reply to Tink35]

Seems like for me it’s only the initial consultation within the 2 weeks which was fairly pointless as they don’t know anything more until I have MRI. Already had ultrasound via GP. No one’s told me how quickly it will be from this point onwards.

[Lolamum]

I was advised it would not be quicker having the scan privately. The MDT for cancer work together. For endometrial cancer I had my biopsy result, then the MRI Within two weeks. Saw surgeon following week and operation 8 days later. Good luck it is the waiting and worrying that are difficult to cope with

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to Lolamum]

Good advice. I hope you are better now and it was picked up early.

[Hannah1589 in reply to Lolamum]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Hope your surgery and treatment all goes well.

[Hannah1589]

I saw consultant within 2 weeks but then it is a week and a half from seeing consultant to MRI scan. Then has to be taken to MDT and not sure how long before they tell me. Not sure it will be any quicker to go private now I have MRI booked for next Friday. Haven’t been told how quickly results will be reported on. I might phone up and ask. Just so worried.

[Hannah1589 in reply to Hannah1589]

I’m also concerned that some private doctors only work privately one day a week and worried that will cause delays

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to Hannah1589]

What is MDT?A lot of consultants will have been off for part / most of August - so it’s harder to get time is of the essence action.

Good idea to call and ask receptionist how you will get results / when / how quickly acted on.

Have you had any scans so far? Ultrasound?

[Hannah1589 in reply to HowNowWhatNow]

MDT is the multidisciplinary team meeting - I was told they take the MRI scan and blood results to that to discuss before reporting back to me. I’ll definitely call to try and get a better idea of timings.

I had an ultrasound when under GP so know I have something on my ovary. After that was referred to gynaecologist at hospital. Need MRI to diagnose what it is which I’m having on Friday.

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to Hannah1589]

I’ll be crossing fingers and toes and rooting for you.

There is a Macmillan Nurses support site but - in my experience - going on there when you haven’t a diagnosis can add to your existing worries, not alleviate. Very useful once you have a diagnosis that relates or if you have a technical question about medication / scans.

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to Hannah1589]

How did the MDT go, Hannah1589?

And how is the worry?

And, if you don’t mind explaining them, what were the symptoms that led to your diagnosis / initial scan?

[Hannah1589 in reply to HowNowWhatNow]

MDT went unexpectedly well - it turned out it’s a fibroid. It had appeared attached to the ovary on the ultrasound but actually was hanging off from the womb. Such a relief! I just need keyhole surgery to remove it. I was so surprised as the consultant had told me it was either a borderline tumour or ovarian cancer and that I wouldn’t know until it was removed - guess it was just in a weird position so the ultrasound was misleading.

Initially went to GP due to problems conceiving (secondary - we have two children already). That led to me having an ultrasound which suggested something on my ovary leading to two week referral to gynaecology. Since the ultrasound other symptoms have became more obvious - bloating and weight gain, pelvic pain, frequent urination, feeling fuller quickly. Essentially very similar symptoms to ovarian cancer or an ovarian cyst because the fibroid is positioned over near my right ovary and so everything is being squeezed.

I’m booked to have a robotic myomectomy and hysteroscopy (just to check everything is ok to try to conceive) next month.

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to Hannah1589]

Am so glad to hear all is so much less worrying than previously thought. And also glad that the next procedure isn't too far into the future. Is the fibroid very big, to cause all these symptoms?

I didn't realise that benign growths could present in such a similar way - via their symptoms - as more worrying things, but of course that makes sense.

What a relief for you and your family!

I had a transvaginal U/S earlier this year that showed I had two small "fimbrial" cysts on my ovaries. Because the radiographer (if that's the name of the specialist who does these scans) said she thought these were unlikely to be worrying, they weren't investigated / followed up. But now, 6 months later, I have even more of the symptoms of having something in my ovaries - urination, pelvic pain, indigestion, heavy periods, sudden alcohol intolerance, iron deficiency - and am wishing she had asked for another scan just so be on the safe side. Easy to say with hindsight. Were you given the CA125 blood test at any point?

Have to say that as I get older (with no wish to have more children but still pre-menopausal and with young children) I would be very happy to have a voluntary hysterectomy and be over with heavy periods, iron deficiency, the years of peri-menopause and the potential for these deep-seated female-specific cancers.

Best of luck with your procedures.

[Hannah1589 in reply to HowNowWhatNow]

Yes I had the CA 125 blood test and other tumour markers - all came back normal but still needed investigating due to it being a solid mass, with blood flow and irregular edges. It was clearly not a cyst from the ultrasound as not fluid filled. It is 7cm big. I was told anything over 5cm they would remove and particularly as I have symptoms and fertility issues.

Hopefully your cysts are nothing to worry about but if you’re at all concerned then go back to your doctor and tell them your change in symptoms. Pelvic pain is horrible, I can’t imagine having to put up with this over a long period of time.

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to Hannah1589]

It sounds as if you saw some very systematic doctors who have explained everything well and taken your symptoms seriously. Or did you have to ask a lot of questions and push to be seen and be told / get what you needed?

I will go back to my GP. Unfortunately at the moment the wait to see a locum GP is at least 3 weeks, but could be 6, and this is more likely to be a phone than in person appointment. Which means that if you miss the call it could be another 4/5 weeks to speak to them.

This is the new normal for many I know. Now, when you are worried about something health wise, the zero continuity and ever more assiduous gate keepers trying to protect GPs from seeing people in person and fact of seeing a different GP every time adds to the sense of general confusion.

But - rant over - I will persist.

[NanaFifi]

Hi Hannah, I think it’s a bit of a postcode lottery when it comes to how long things take in the NHS. I have a 6cm x 4cm ovarian cyst on my left ovary, I had an MRI scan and got my results in about 10 days. Hopefully it will be the same for you, in any case I doubt if you would get a private MRI any sooner than Friday. Did they take bloods from you? I had a blood test to see if there were any cancer markers in my blood and results came back within a couple of days. Negative I’m happy to say. I still have the cyst, it doesn’t give me any pain and if/when it does I’ll see about having it removed.

I hope all goes well with your MRI and the cyst is benign. I won’t say ‘try not to worry’ because I know you will. Good luck xx

[Hannah1589 in reply to NanaFifi]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I’ll be sticking with the NHS for the scan as like you say I don’t think it will be any quicker private now. Had bloods done last week. Going to see if I can get hold of my blood results tomorrow. I was already told if it’s a cyst it will definitely need removing due to its size and it’s started giving me pain so I’ll be keen to have it out. Glad yours was all ok.

[amberbrown]

If you are in UK they are legally obliged to treat this as urgent. It also depends if your protein blood count figure is higher than it should be indicating possible cancer. I had a cyst on ovary and high blood count so it was rushed with scan etc. Then they decided to wait and see but this would keep happening and it was a lot of stress, time and travelling back and forth. She said she could remove it and do a hysterectomy so I said yes, as it would be quicker than going back and forth all the time with this wait and see stuff losing half a day each time. The hysterectomy has been done now.

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to amberbrown]

hi

Hope all is well now.

Can you please explain why hysterectomy was so much quicker than the alternative?

And how do you feel, most importantly?