Ovaries (ovaries) are two small organs located on either side of the uterus in the female body. Ovaries produce hormones, including estrogen, which trigger menstruation. Every month, the ovary releases an egg is small. Eggs walked into the fallopian tubes (fallopian tubes) to potentially be fertilized. This egg is called ovulation cycle.
What causes ovarian cysts?
Cysts are fluid-filled sacs that can form on the ovaries. Cysts are very common in women of reproductive age who are still (still active menstruation and childbearing).
There are several types of ovarian cysts. The most common are functional cysts. These cysts are formed during ovulation. This cyst formation occurs when one egg is not released or bag follicle (egg wrapper) do not dissolve after the egg is released (but after the egg is released from the ovary, the follicle is supposed to be dissolved).
Cyst types include:
- PCO. In polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), in which the egg follicles fail to mature normally open and eventually formed cysts of the follicle.
- In women with endometriosis, tissue from the lining of the uterus grows in other areas of the body (not in the uterus), which can be grown in the ovaries as well (in the extreme case can grow in the lining of the heart and lungs). It can be very painful and can affect fertility.
- These cysts are formed from cells on the surface of the ovary. Kistadenoma often filled with fluid.
- dermoid cyst. Cyst-containing tissue type similar to that in other parts of the body. That includes skin, hair, and teeth.
What causes ovarian tumors?
Tumors can form on the ovaries, such as those formed in other parts of the body. If the tumor is non-cancerous, they are said to be benign. If they are cancerous, they are called malignant. The three types of ovarian tumors are:
- tumor epithelial cells from the cells on the surface of the ovary. It is the most common type of ovarian tumor.
- germ cell tumor in the cells that produce eggs. They also can be benign or malignant. Most benign.
- stromal tumors originate from cells that produce female hormones.
Doctors are not sure what causes ovarian tumors. Many who have identified risk factors, including:
- Age - Special-menopausal women
- smoke
- obesity
- Not having children or not breastfeeding (However, the use of birth control pills seem to lower the risk)
- taking fertility drugs (such as Clomid)
- therapy penggantiahormon
- There is a family history of tumor / cancer of the ovary, breast or colorectal cancer (the BRCA genes may increase the risk)
What are the symptoms of ovarian cysts and ovarian tumors?
Often, ovarian cysts do not cause any symptoms. You may not realize you have an ovarian cyst to visit the doctor for a routine pelvic examination. Ovarian cysts can cause problems if they twist (rotate / torsion), bleed, or rupture.
If you have any of the symptoms below, it is important to be checked immediately. That's because it can be a symptom of ovarian tumors as well. Cancer (malignant tumor) ovarian often spreads before it is detected.
Symptoms of ovarian cysts and ovarian tumors include:
- Pain or bloating in the abdomen
- Difficulty urinating or frequent urination
- unexplained pain in the lower back
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Pain and abnormal bleeding during menstruation and / or outside the menstrual cycle
- Weight loss continues to decline
- Nausea or vomiting
- Loss of appetite, stomach feeling full quickly
How do doctors diagnose ovarian cysts and ovarian tumors?
Obstetrician / gynecologist or primary care physician may feel a lump while doing a routine pelvic examination. Most ovarian growth is benign. But a small number could be cancerous. That is why it is important to check regularly pelvis. Especially postmenopausal women should receive routine examinations because they face a higher risk of ovarian cancer.
The tests look for ovarian cysts or tumors include:
- This test uses ultrasound waves to create images of the ovaries. Pictures help doctors determine the size and location of the cyst or tumor.
- Other imaging tests. Computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET) scan imaging is very detailed. Doctors can use it to find an ovarian tumor and see if and how far they have spread.
- Levels of the hormone. Your doctor may do blood tests to check the levels of several hormones. This may include examination of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, and testosterone.
- This is a surgical procedure used to treat ovarian cysts. Using a tool that is inserted into the abdomen. During this operation, the surgeon can find cysts or tumors and may take a small piece of tissue (biopsy) for examination under a microscope.
- CA-125. If the doctor thinks the growth of this tumor is a cancer, the doctor will suggest a blood test to look for a protein called CA-125. This protein levels tend to be higher in some women with ovarian cancer (but not as a benchmark). This test is primarily used in women over age 35 ntahun, a slightly higher risk for developing ovarian cancer.
If the diagnosis is ovarian cancer, the doctor will use the results of diagnostic tests to determine whether the cancer has spread beyond the ovaries. If it is cancer, the doctor will also use the results to determine how far it has spread. This diagnostic procedure is called staging. This helps the doctor plan treatment.
How ovarian cysts and ovarian tumors treated?
Most ovarian cysts will heal itself. If you do not have symptoms that are annoying, especially if you have menopause, doctors may recommend "watchful waiting namunt etap. "Doctors are not going to do the surgery, especially if the size of the cyst is still considered small enough to be lifted. But the doctor will check every one to three months to see if there have been changes in the cyst.
Birth control pills may reduce pain from ovarian cysts. Birth control pills prevent ovulation, which reduces the likelihood that new cysts will form.
Surgery is an option if the cyst does not heal, grow bigger, or cause patients to suffer. There are two types of operations:
- Laparoscopy uses very small incisions, telescope-like instrument with a flashlight. The instrument is inserted into the abdomen to remove a cyst. This technique can be done for a small cyst.
- Laparotomy involves a large incision in the abdomen. Doctors prefer this technique for larger cysts and ovarian tumors. If the growth is cancerous, the surgeon will take as much tumor as possible. This is called debulking. Depending on how far the cancer has spread, the surgeon can also take the ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, omentum (fatty tissue that covers the intestines) and lymph nodes nearby
Other treatments for ovarian cancer tumors include:
- Chemotherapy - drugs given through a vein (IV), by mouth, or directly into the stomach to kill cancer cells. Because they kill normal cells as well as the cancer, chemotherapy side effects, including nausea and vomiting, hair loss, kidney damage, and increased risk of infection. These side effects will go away after treatment.
- Radiation - High-energy X-rays that kill or shrink cancer cells. Good radiation delivered from outside the body, or placed inside the body near the tumor site. This treatment can also cause side effects, including red skin, nausea, diarrhea, and fatigue. Radiation is not often used for ovarian cancer.
Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation can be provided individually or together. If that happens, you will need to have more surgery, sometimes combined with chemotherapy or radiation.
