Ovarian Cyst Overview

Most ovarian cysts are not harmful.  In fact, almost every woman will experience a cyst at some point in her life.  Most women will not even know they had one.  For a few, the cyst can cause a great deal of pain and anxiety.  However, even in these cases, the majority of cysts will dissolve on their own.

Ovarian cysts can be classified into two broad types: functional, and nonfunctional.  Most cysts are functional.  Of the nonfunctional cysts, very few end up being ovarian cancer.  So if you have a cyst, the chances are very slim that you have ovarian cancer.

Functional Cysts

Functional cysts are believed to be formed in a slight variation on the normal menstrual cycle.  During the menstrual cycle, a woman will release an egg from the ovary.  This egg is surrounding by a sac called a follicle.  For the first part of the cycle, the egg grows inside the follicle while the uterus thickens its lining.  At the middle of the menstrual cycle, the follicle is supposed to burst, releasing the egg to travel down the fallopian tubes to the uterus.  There, the egg is either fertilized or dissolves.

In the case of most cysts, the follicle either fails to burst (follicular cyst), or the burst follicle does not dissolve like it should (corpus luteum cyst).  This then creates a fluid filled sac in the ovary, which will show up on an ultrasound looking like a bubble.  It does not cause pain unless the sac gets large.  If that happens, it presses against the wall of the ovary.  It also can cause pain every time a woman ovulates from that point on.  In some cases, the cyst bursts, which lets the fluid out into the ovary and the surrounding area.  This can cause irritation of the ovary and in some cases, infection.

There is one case where a functional cyst can change into something more problematic.  This is called a  hemorrhagic cyst.  In this case, bleeding occurs within the cyst.  The doctor may recommend surgery to treat this type of cyst.

Nonfunctional Cysts

Several other types of cysts are also found in the ovaries.  These are nonfunctional cysts: most are treated with surgery.  However, surgery is not always effective in completely removing these types of cysts.  You also need to prevent future cysts from occurring.  Here’s a brief overview of the different types of nonfunctional cysts and their believed causes:

  • Dermoid Cyst – a cyst composed of hair, bone, and cartilage.  Can grow to an extremely large size.  Rare.
  • Endometroid Cysts – Found in women affected by endometriosis.  Uterine tissue grows in the ovaries, producing small, blood filled cysts.
  • Poly-cystic Appearing Ovary – Enlarged ovary surrounded by smaller cysts.  Occurs in 4-7% of women of childbearing age.  Associated with high blood pressure, increased glucose tolerance, diabetes, and endocrine disorders.
  • Cystadenoma – benign tumor filled with a mucous like liquid.  Can grow very large.  Rare.

(Information from emedicinehealth.com and webmd.com)