The Colon Club

Hey all,

Just one question to all who have ovary mets. I had my quarterly scan last week and they found im all clear except a 2.5cm ovarian cyst and a uterus fibroid. The fibroid has always been there but the cyst is new. My period stopped during chemo and have just resumed normal in the last two months.

My PET in January didn't pick up any met in my ovary (but I also did not have my period back then), but I know there are different types of cysts and some can turn cancerous. My current doctor is an expert of liver surgery . He felt inadequate to offer any professional advice on the cyst... he said he trusts since my PET didn't pick up anything and my CEA is normal, it's probably nothing. But he did suggest I go to an OBGYN to have it checked out to give myself peace of mind.

I have scheduled an appt with my OBGYN, what kind of things should I ask her? To do an ultrasound to determine what's the cyst about?

Thanks a lot for your help in advance!!! Any info would help!

I had a pelvic ultrasound done last summer and it found an ovarian cyst but my OB GYN said nothing to worry about. This was after I finished my initial regimen of chemo and radiation. It’s probably a good idea to get the ultrasound just to be sure. I didn’t ask too many questions of my doctor, I just trusted what she said. Maybe others could chime in with questions to ask. But I feel like I remember her saying it could have been treatment-related.

I had a 10 cm ovarian cyst and the gynecolog was able to detemine that it was not cancerous by an ultrasound. It was then removed and the pathologist confirmed it was only full of water.

Best

Claudia

Hi, I also understand that they can tell from the ultrasound what type of cyst it is.
Best of luck
LM

Definitely go to your gyn and get an ultrasound. I would actually advise that you ask for two, during two different cycles totrack for changes. I did that, and nothing was changing and docs said it was just a complex cyst. I thought about it and went back and said take it out please. I didn't need it and I didn't want to worry about it any more.

The doc told me before surgery if it was nothing he would remove the cyst, if it was ovarian, they'd do a hysterectomy, and if it was colon, he'd take both ovaries. I woke from surgery and before my doc came in, I asked the nurse, what happened. She said I'd had both ovaries removed. Colon cancer met.

Please follow up, and trust your instinct. Good luck!!

Get it checked out. My surgeon removed my ovaries and fallopian tubes during my LAR because they "didn't look right." Pathology came back as ovarian cancer. I am now monitored by a gyn oncologist in addition to my medical oncologist.

Thank you so much everybody!!! Wow, I actually debated about whether or not I should post something here asking for help! I should have done it right away!

After my lead doctor said the MRI reported just a 2.5cm ovarian cyst, it should be nothing big, probably just a cyst with water inside. But when he added "You can go to an OBGYN if you wanna be on the safe side", it got me alarmed. So me being Stage IV, he is asking "if" I wanna be on the safe side?? I worked so hard to beat this monster, I want to be on the absolute safest side!

Since I have seen everybody's response, I have called a lot of OBGYN's clinics with most of the doctors away during Easter break ... I was gonna just wait around until next week when more doctors are back (including my usual one). But now I feel like I want to have an ultrasound now!!

My surgeon removed my ovaries and fallopian tubes during my LAR because they "didn't look right.

Didn't look right.... did it show in your PET scan? or CEA? or any sign?

during two different cycles totrack for changes. I did that, and nothing was changing and docs said it was just a complex cyst

This is exactly the point I was thinking about - a complex cyst or what cyst. There are different types of cysts, aren't there?

I called one OBGYN's clinic and I probably had one of the rudest nurses. I asked for an appointment and I told her briefly I have Colon Ca and from my last MRI scan, it showed there's a 2.5cm ovarian cyst which didn't exist in my previous MRI or PET scan. The doc asked me to find an OBGYN to look into it. She laughed, literally laughed and said MRI should have a clearer image than an ultrasound, so for me to see my MRI report saying it's a cyst, then it's a cyst. Ultrasound isn't gonna clarify anything. She gave me a time slot that comes in a month's time.

I was gonna argue with her about types of cysts and that she shouldn't talk to patients like that, but I didn't want her negative vibes getting to me, I just quietly said thank you, goodbye and hung up.

lovelife789 wrote:

My surgeon removed my ovaries and fallopian tubes during my LAR because they "didn't look right.

Didn't look right.... did it show in your PET scan? or CEA? or any sign?

No, he was literally looking at my ovaries while doing my surgery. He called out to the waiting room and talked to my mom about having to remove them, since it was not part of the original plan. My CEA is not a good indicator of colorectal cancer for me, since it was 0.9 at diagnosis. Besides, CEA would not show ovarian cancer. I am tested for CA-125 now, but do not have a level at diagnosis since my ovaries were removed by the time we knew to test me for it.

Please get a second opinion. MRIs and CTs are not as accurate as vaginal ultrasounds to image the ovaries. I had a CT scan last year that showed cysts in both ovaries. It was followed up with an ultrasound that showed just one large cyst on my left ovary but they thought it looked like hyperstimulation of the follicles. The gyne wasn’t convinced so he sent me for a second opinion. That doc didn’t think the ovary looked normal but could not tell from the ultrasound whether it was cancerous or not. He said he had patients with similar presentations who just waited it out and the cyst disappeared. In my case, because of my history of cancer, he recommended I have my entire left ovary and tube removed. Turns out it was a malignant cyst. They are still trying to figure out if it’s a new primary or a met from the colon. All this to say, please push for more testing. I wish you the best.

Hello all,

Just reporting back to everybody who has shared your experience with me. Thanks to your advice, I did locate a very experienced OBGYN to check on my scans and did a thorough virginal ultrasound on me.

Not only did the cyst become smaller, he is also quite confident it's a simple cyst with very clear fluid and nothing to be of concern. He recommends a check back in 6 months or earlier if my next MRI shows difference in size or look in the scan.

It was a relief and I'm glad I found a really good doctor who was caring and listened to me very carefully. Thank you so much and I keep you all in my prayers.

lovelife789 wrote:Hello all,

Just reporting back to everybody who has shared your experience with me. Thanks to your advice, I did locate a very experienced OBGYN to check on my scans and did a thorough virginal ultrasound on me.

Not only did the cyst become smaller, he is also quite confident it's a simple cyst with very clear fluid and nothing to be of concern. He recommends a check back in 6 months or earlier if my next MRI shows difference in size or look in the scan.

It was a relief and I'm glad I found a really good doctor who was caring and listened to me very carefully. Thank you so much and I keep you all in my prayers.

So glad to hear this. I'm sure it is a huge weight off your mind!

Sounds like question has been answered, but in case someone sees this in the archive...

MRI is better than US for evaluation of ovarian masses and cysts, but MRI protocols for surveillance of colon cancer are typically different than protocols that evaluate the “female pelvis” (uterine, ovarian, adnexal lesions). When there is a concerning lesion on US, the next step is usually MRI tailored for those structures.

Simple cysts are typically benign. They have characteristic appearances on US and MRI. Complex cysts can be benign or malignant.