Are ovarian cysts dangerous?

The article was professionally consulted by BSCKI Le Thi Phuong - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vinmec Ha Long International Hospital.

Ovarian cysts are a common disease, especially in women of childbearing age, accounting for 80-90% of ovarian tumors. The disease develops silently, quietly, but when it turns to malignancy, it develops very quickly.

An ovarian cyst is an abnormal growth of fluid or solid on or inside the ovary. This tumor can be abnormal new tissue or a fluid buildup that forms a cyst on the ovary. Ovarian cysts, which can develop from the tissues of the ovary, account for about 3.6% of gynecological diseases.

Ovarian cysts often have many different types and 90% are benign (less cancerous), 10% develop into malignancy. Premenopausal women with ovarian cysts have a higher risk of developing cancer than women of childbearing age. These tumors grow silently with vague or even asymptomatic symptoms, sometimes harmless and go away on their own. Here are some of the most common symptoms.
Pelvic, lumbar or thigh pain: Patients may experience vague pain in the pelvis, along the waist or thighs. This is the most common symptom, often encountered by tumors pressing on organs or nerves running along the back of the pelvis.

Lower abdominal pain, flatulence, nausea and vomiting: Large tumor can cause immediate discomfort to the patient, sometimes feeling bloated, enlarged abdomen, palpable tumor. In particular, when there is a feeling of daily bloating, vomiting and nausea, one should be wary of malignant cells in the ovaries because malignant tumors do not rupture, which will turn into cancer causing death and death. infection. Signs of flatulence, nausea often confuse the symptoms of digestive diseases, making women subjective and disregard the disease. Frequent urination: Urinating disorders can be caused by many factors and can be caused by many medical conditions, including bladder problems, urinary tract problems, symptoms of high blood sugar but also symptoms. The symptoms of ovarian cysts are caused by the compression of the bladder by the tumor, thereby prompting you to have a need to urinate more, but when urinating, there is a burning pain and discomfort. Pain during sex: If you have sex and feel pain on one side more than the other, then you need to think about an ovarian cyst. Some cysts, when growing to a large size, can be located right in the cervix causing obstruction. As a result, you will experience pain during sex. Irregular menstrual cycle: Irregular menstrual cycle, also known as menstrual disorder, is a manifestation of many gynecological diseases in which the ovaries are related.

Unexplained weight gain: Although not a typical symptom of the disease, but if you have abnormal weight gain accompanied by some of the above symptoms, you should be suspicious and see your doctor for an examination. examination and early detection.

Research reports suggest that the cause of ovarian cysts is a number of hormone-related problems or some medical conditions such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Here are a few common causes.
Using too much birth control pills ; Use a lot of hormone-containing foods such as meats, eggs and milk...; Unreasonable diet, low in natural foods such as fresh green vegetables; Stress or obesity; The liver is poisoned or overworked.

Ovarian cysts are usually divided into 2 types: functional cysts and organic cysts. Functional ovarian cysts are usually benign tumors that go away on their own and are not dangerous. In contrast, organic ovarian cysts often progress slowly, silently over many years. When symptoms are clear, the tumor has grown and pressed on the surrounding organs, causing many dangerous complications, even affecting life.
Torsion of the cyst: Can occur with any type of tumor, the small, long-stemmed, non-adherent tumors are susceptible to torsion. Because the blood circulation to the ovary is stopped, when the tumor is twisted, the patient has severe and continuous abdominal pain, possibly nausea, vomiting, sometimes shock because of the pain. The tumor is enlarged, causing abdominal distension, pressing pain in the lower abdomen and 2 pelvic fossa, with abdominal wall reaction. Vaginal examination showed the tumor was tight, less mobile, and painful when pressed. Cyst rupture: Complication occurs when the fluid pressure in the tumor is too great, causing the cyst to burst. The patient suddenly had continuous abdominal pain, the lower abdomen and 2 pelvic fossa were painful and responsive. In some cases, the rupture of the cyst causes internal bleeding, the patient may be shocked and lose blood. Vaginal examination revealed the tumor was difficult to identify, the uterus was painful when moving. After rupture of the cyst, the patient had an infection syndrome, abdominal distension, peritoneal reaction, vaginal examination showed a sticky tumor, very little mobility, and tenderness. If not treated in time, it can be life-threatening. Compression of surrounding organs: This complication is often late, when the tumor has grown for a long time and is large in size. Tumors compress the bladder causing urinary incontinence, compress the rectum causing constipation, sometimes compress the ureter causing pyelonephritis, even very large ovarian tumors compress the inferior vena cava causing collateral circulation , edema of the lower extremities , ascites . Carcinoma may appear in water cysts.

For functional ovarian cysts, there is no need to treat, only need to monitor from 3-6 menstrual cycles, if functional ovarian cysts go away on their own.
For organic ovarian cysts, it is necessary to surgically remove the tumor as soon as possible to avoid complications and cancer. Specifically:
• Water cyst: In the elderly, both ovaries should be removed;
• Mucous cyst: Need to remove both ovaries as soon as possible to avoid recurrence of mucus;
• Dermoid cyst: Remove the tumor. Try to preserve healthy parenchyma;
• Cysts in pregnant women: If there is an indication to keep the pregnancy, the tumor should be surgically removed at the 4th month, if there are complications, emergency caesarean section at any gestational age;
• If the bilateral ovarian cyst in a young person is still fertile, it is necessary to remove the tumor and preserve as much of the normal healthy part as possible and the fallopian tube. It should be noted that for tumors with rough surface, signs of rupture in patients > 40 years old, need immediate biopsy to prevent cancer. If the ovarian cyst grows and invades the broad ligament, it is necessary to perform surgical removal of the tumor, avoiding damage to the ureter, iliac artery system and bladder.

To reduce the risk of ovarian cysts you should:
Use healthy foods, limit the use of foods containing a lot of animal fat, saturated fat, protein, stimulants. Instead, eat a variety of green vegetables, fruits, grains and foods rich in vitamins A, C, hydrocarbons, cellulose, etc. At the same time, drink enough 1.5 - 2 liters of water per day. Enhances the detoxification function of the liver. Check thyroid function. Moderate work combined with reasonable rest. Strengthen physical strength with gentle exercises to improve the body's resistance.

Stop smoking. Adjust the appropriate weight. Ovarian cysts are a common disease in women and most of them are benign (less cancerous). Although the rate of ovarian tumor and ovarian cancer is not much, this is a highly malignant cancer and often has no symptoms in the early stages, can only be detected during gynecological examination and ultrasound. This is the reason why doctors recommend that women go for regular gynecological examinations every 4-6 months to detect early abnormal signs of ovarian cysts as well as other gynecological diseases.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital is implementing the Basic Gynecological Examination and Screening Package. Women can refer to and choose the package of examination and screening at the hospital to be able to detect early infectious diseases as well as early detection of gynecological cancers.