UPDATE advice needed - I'm in the hospital with ovarian cyst

[arizona mom]

Hello friends,

I'm a nervous wreck and I'm hoping to get some support while I wait to talk to a doctor.

I had surgery for stage 4 colon cancer july 14. I completed chemo Dec 14. I have had regular clear scans, last one was June 18th (2 1/2 months ago).

Last Tuesday, I had colonoscopy that was all clear. On Thursday, I started have abdominal pain that was really only present when I was moving (standing up, walking, moving in bed, etc). Last night (Sat), I decided I should probably get it checked out. It was getting worse and I developed a slight fever.

CT scan showed a large (16-9cm!) cyst on on near my ovary. The ER doctor said it was probably not colon cancer mets because it was fluid filled. Any chance he is telling the truth? Does he know what is is talking about? Is it possible for a CC met to grow that big in 2 1/2 months? What does that mean if it is colon cancer?

What questions should I be asking?

Thank you all so much!

Lara

[stu]

Hi.
Yes on this occasion I think he does. I have been reading a lot on cystic presentation this week due to a current problem I am experiencing and they appear quite differently to a solid mass. I am no radiologist but from what I have read they are quite different on presentation. Have a quick google search and you will see the difference .
Hang on in there. Its a bump on the road. Hope they get the pain under control.
Kind thoughts
Stu

[AngelaN]

Hi Stu
Actually much more likely to be benign in this situation. A cyst is NOT a tumor, it's a fluid filled structure and is very obvious on radiology studies. Multiple physicians have reassured me that TYPICALLY colon cancer does not grow fast. For sure cysts grow that fast.
How old are you? Are you post menopausal (prior to the chemo etc)?

[arizona mom]

Thank you both for your reassurances. It means so much to me as I'm waiting for the doctors to visit.

The oncologist on call just stopped by. He agrees that it doesn't look like cancer because it is primarily fluid. The report says that it is "septated" with can be an indicator of cancer, but it also says "no overt solid components." The are going to do cea and ca-125 blood tests to be double sure.

After hearing about the HAI pump, the onc is wondering if this cyst might have been caused by a leak in the pump. Last time it got flushed, it was empty, but we filled it anyway. So maybe my abdomen is being filled with that glucose saline solution somehow.

thanks again for being with me through this.

Lara

[arizona mom]

Angela,
I'm 47. I'm still having periods. They took a break during chemo, but they are back now.

[Stanfordmom]

Hi Lara,

Hugs to you, and pray that your ovary thing is a cyst.

Also did you call up your Sloan oncologist it surgeon about this? they might offer some good advice about pump leaks.

Thinking of you,

Sha

[rwightman]

Lara, they found an ovarian cyst during my HIPEC and removed it. I wouldn't worry prematurely. Women get cysts on a regular basis throughout their cycle and most of them resolve themselves before they are even detected. My cyst was biopsied and it was nothing - just a cyst.

[arizona mom]

Good to see you Sha and Romy!

I'm still at the hospital...waiting. I feel much better that the CEA test came back as 1.0. We are still waiting on the results on the ovarian cancer marker and a gyno onc is supposed to stop by give me the results of my ultrasound.

I was starting to get anxiety about my next CEA and CT scan coming up in the next month or so...I got those over with like pulling off a band aide. I didn't drink the nasty prep for the CT scan, but I'm hoping that with the clear colonoscopy last week as the alternative to the drink, I can let the ER CT scan stand for 3-4 months.

Thanks for checking in,
Lara

[CM35]

(((Lara,)))

I am sorry you are going through this! Ugh!

I had an ovarian met at diagnosis... And I assure you, not one medical person who saw my scan or ultrasound suggested it was a cyst! They know what they are looking at when they see it. I am 100% sure this will end up being a boring old, ordinary ovarian cyst... Hang in there, girl!

Hugs,
Colleen

[arizona mom]

Thank you, Colleen

(((hugs)))

[Nik Colon]

I have had cysts a few times, usually they go away on their own but one I had surgically removed.

[orcasres]

As the old lady of this group responding to your post, try to be reassured that ovarian cysts are VERY common and docs know them when they see them. Your anxiety is quite understandable, but hopefully you will get all of your answers soon and everything will turn out to be benign. Lois

[Nik Colon]

I think I may have one now, I'm having pain in lower right, its been on both sides for me i believe. can't be from ovulation as I just got over my period, will see in a few days how it goes. Usually mine go away in a few days, if not then I'll go in or if pain gets too bad. I have had quite a few so it's not unusual for me.

[debb]

I'm sorry you're going through this right now. I'm sorry also that I'm about to give you a different opinion, based on my own experience.

Get that cyst removed. It's causing you pain & fever...and mental anguish and uncertainty. The procedure will be laparoscopic and you'll be out that day.

I had a cyst that was bothering me..not pain but I could feel it. My doc had me on watchful waiting for a few menstual cycles and said it didn't present as cancer (fluid filled) and a few vag US. I just wanted it out. I was feeling it more and had some pain while running.

So I had surgery. I was told presurgery that if it was "just a cyst" that I'd have just that ovary removed. If the cyst was a CRC met, he'd take both ovaries. And if it were ovarian cancer, I'd wake with a hysterectomy.

It was a CRC met. I had both ovaries removed. And in the time between the surgical appt and the actual surgery, the cyst had burst. The docs tested the fluid and results said no cancer cells. But I was too afraid off that fluid being in my abdomen and also of the local recurrence of CRC in my ovaries. So 6 weeks later, I had HIPEC.

So consider asking for that sucker to be removed. At the very least, it'll relieve your symptoms and you'll be home very quickly.

(Also, if I'm not mistaken, CA 125 blood tests for ovarian cancer, and we're concerned with a CRC met...so are those results helpful in our situation?)
Good luck!!!

[arizona mom]

Thank you all for your encouragement!

Deb,
I'm pretty sure I'm going to have surgery. The cyst is 4 X 7 inches and the pain has gotten bad enough that I don't think I can manage it at home. I can't imagine a 4 X 7 inch thing dissolving on its own anyway. I'm ready to get it over with. Maybe the 3 day weekend has delayed things. It is very frustrating.

I saw the on-call oncologist right away. Maybe because of my history. He ordered the CEA and CA-125 tests. The CEA came back normal, 1.0, which is a HUGE relief. My CEA seems to be a marker for me (I maxed out at 76 at some point when I was first diagnosed with CC.) There is a slight possibility that the "cyst" is a new primary of ovarian cancer, so it will be nice to be double sure that the blood marker rules that out (at least as much as it can).

I think we are waiting for the ultrasound report to tell us what the cyst is attached to and how they are going to get it out and what needs to come out with it. I'm going to request that they treat it as if it were cancer surgically until they prove 110% otherwise. Your story backs that plan up. Thank you for sharing that and I hope you are doing well.

Lara