OVARIAN MASSES AND CANCER

 

 Doctor Steven R. Goldstein MD  is a Gynecologist in NYC who advocates for regular ovarian and cervical cancer screening, particularly for those with a personal or family history of these diseases. In his writings Dr Goldstein elaborates on the statistics that show the high survivability rate if ovarian cancer is detected early.

 

There is confusion among women about ovarian cysts and cancer. Many are told they have an ovarian cyst, become very fearful and insist that they want it out before it “becomes cancer”. While a normal reaction, let’s examine the relationship between ovarian cysts and ovarian cancer. 

 

Ovarian cysts never become ovarian cancer. These “functional cysts” consist of those that are formed prior to ovulation and called “follicular cysts” and those that are formed after ovulation from a small amount of bleeding into the area of ovulation. These are called “haemorrhagic cysts”. Neither of these are tumors and will not become cancerous. Now let’s look at Ovarian Tumors.

 

OVARIAN TUMORS AND CANCER

 

Cystic changes in ovaries that are not functional or dysfunctional would be considered a “new growth” (not an ovarian cyst) and represents a tumor, however, most of these tumors are benign while some may be malignant. It is important to note that with ovarian tumors they are benign or malignant from the start.

 

Therefore, if we can reliably diagnose an ovarian mass as being benign the chances of it transforming into malignancy are virtually zero. How is this diagnosis done?

 

It is done Sonographically by using painless Transvaginal ultrasound using the color flow doppler feature to assess blood flow within the pelvic organs. This helps to distinguish if it is truly suspicious, and perhaps needs surgical removal, or if it shuld be left alone. Dr Goldstein, a NYC Gyn, is one of the most highly regarded individuals in the field of gynecologic ultrasound. Here is what he looks for:

 

1)    the lack of any solid area coming off the cyst wall, and

2)    the lack of any vascularity as measured by color flow Doppler ultrasound.

 

Tumors need blood to grow, to divide, to invade, and the lack of any vascularity on color flow doppler means a lack of blood flow. This is an extremely reassuring sign. When people have what appear to be benign growths of ovaries, rather than remove them, we continue to watch them and be sure that they maintain those sonographic features that are reassuring of their benign (non-cancerous) nature.

 

If you have been told you have an ovarian cyst or an ovarian mass (tumor) and need to be screened for ovarian cancer, perhaps a consultation with Dr Steven R. Goldstein MD, a leading Gynecologist in NYC may be in order. Dr Goldstein uses transvaginal ultrasounds with color flow doppler and state of the art radiology to provide painless,  screening for ovarian cancer, the examination of ovarian masses and to look at ovarian cysts. A former Director of Gynecologic Ultrasound at NYU Langone Medical Center, Dr Goldstein personally performs all transvaginal ultrasounds. He does not rely on a technician or use reports to diagnose patients.