Can Ovarian Cysts Turn into Ovarian Cancer?

Ovarian cysts are very common so are the concerns or problems associated with them. Many women feel that ovarian cysts could turn into malignant cysts and cause long-term consequences. Majority of women get ovarian cysts or benign ovarian tumours during their reproductive age at some point in their lives. Let us try to understand whether ovarian cysts turn into ovarian cancer.

Your ovaries release an egg during ovulation from each follicle or sac. Mostly, the sac dissolves after releasing an egg. Sometimes, the sac may remain filled with fluid and develops into a cyst. Once formed, cysts go unnoticed as they remain within the ovaries without causing any symptoms. Sometimes, only mild symptoms may manifest or no apparent symptoms at all. Moreover, ovarian cysts detection is a chance event.

Remember! a mere presence of an ovarian cyst doesn’t indicate that it will develop into cancer as the majority of ovarian cysts do not develop into cancer.

Which type of ovarian cysts turns into cancer?

Endometriosis is a condition wherein endometrial tissue grows in areas outside the uterus. If the growth happens on the ovaries, it is known as ovarian endometrioma. This type of cysts may rarely increase the risk of ovarian cancer (Clear cell or endometrioid ovarian carcinomas). Some research studies suggest that endometriosis can accumulate somatic mutations and become atypical, and eventually transform to ovarian cancer.

Ovarian surface cells form liquid-filled cysts known as cystadenomas. These are mostly benign, but, in rare cases, these cysts (cystadenomas) may turn cancerous.

Ovarian teratomas (ovarian dermoid cysts) are mostly benign ovarian germ cells tumours, but rarely they may turn into malignant cancers.

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