Question about solid mass found

Hi. During a transvaginal ultrasound in August for right sided pelvic pain, they found a "solid mass on the right adexna of which the nature is indeterminable". I had previously been told I needed a hysterectomy due to adenomyosis so I decided to go ahead with it after they found this since it scares the hell out of me and also because it is so painful. My castle date is Dec 14.

A question I have about ovarian cancer: does the pain from a cancerous mass give pain only monthly with your cycle (as mine mostly does) or is it constant pain all the time? My doctor did not do a CA125 blood test when I asked about it but the only reason he gave for not suspecting cancer was that I'm too young (I'm 34), which really annoys me since I have read that many women my age do get ovarian cancer. Thanks for any info you can give me.

Sandra

Hi Sandra,

I'm sorry you have this worry! your doc needs a refresher course in Ovarian Cancer stats...while it's true most cases are in older women, it is totally NOT unheard of for younger women to get it, as well. We have gals on this very forum who were diagnosed with OVCA in their 20's. Sad, but true.

My Ovarian Cancer was diagnosed via Vaginal Ultrasound, exept my gynecologist was pretty certain from the results of that test that he sent me to a gyn/onc immediately. For that, I will be eternally grateful to him.

I suggest you take your ultrasound pictures and reports and get an appointment with a gynecological oncologist before you do anything else. they are the experts when dealing with the possibility of gyn/cancers. Hopefully, yours is not..but why not see a pro and make sure?

Oh, incidentally, according to the docs, I had this growth for a long long time before I finally went to the doctor, and pain in the abdomen was not one of my symptoms. Irregular (constant) bleeding, bloating, constipation,heartburn,urge to urinate, and back pain were my symptoms.
Do you have any of those symptoms?



in there...but please do see a gyn/onc if you are worried about your mass being a malignancy.

xoxo
k9

Will they not biopsy it when they do my hyst in December so I will know then? As for other symptoms, it is difficult for me to tell since I also have ulcerative colitis which also causes bloating, constipation, diarrhea, nausea. So yes, I have these symptoms also but it's hard to tell if it is from my UC or something else. I have severe lower back pain, especially just before my cycle. I don't have bleeding anymore since I had an endometrial ablation about 5 or 6 years ago for heavy bleeding. They also mentioned there was "free fluid in the cul de sac" on my ultrasound report.

Do you suggest I see a gynecological oncologist before my hysterectomy? Do I risk my health by waiting to see what they find during surgery? I was thinking that was the smart thing to do but maybe I'm off track here.

Getting a gyne oncologist involved is definitely better. Personally, I think earlier is better. They have much more experience with gyne cancers and can stage you better.

As soon as my gyne suspected cancer, she had me contact a gyne oncologist and I met with him asap (gyne's office faxed over all the test results etc). The gyne onc ended up doing the hyst, assisted by my gyne.

They should certainly biopsy it during your surgery. I would strongly suggest that you do see a gyn/onc before your surgery, and if she/he thinks it warrants it, let the gyn/onc perform the surgery. If they DO suspect cancer, and if they DO find it during your hyster, a gyn/onc will give you the best odds for 'optimal debulking' (removing as much visable cancer as possible). they should probably do a frozen section right there, which while not 100% accurate, will give a good indication of what the more thorough pathology report will discover.

This could all be a big nothing with nothing, as a friend used to say. But just in case, I'd want to be prepared by having an expert tell me what's going on. Just my here, but I'd rather be wrongand overly cautious then not have you be informed.

Why not at least have a consult with a gyn/onc?

Good luck,
xoxo
k9

dear sandra...i would like to echo the same advice about seeing a gyn/onc as the others have suggested. i also had a "solid mass in right adnexa" detected after a transvaginal ultrasound and was referred to a obs/gyn. although he didn't mention cancer to me at the time, he alluded to it, saying that since i was post menopausal and my ovaries non-functional, they shouldn't be producing anything like a mass. i really wish he had then referred me to a gyn/onc. as it turned out, he was unable to complete the t.a.h. due to complications from adhesions attaching my uterus to my bowel. he removed ovaries, tubes and mass, all found malignant. 4-1/2 weeks later i had a second surgery by a gyn/onc to remove my uterus, omentum, bowel re-section and de-bulking. had i been referred to the gyn/onc in the first place, i could have avoided the second surgery and the 2 recovery periods.

i had no pain with the mass. what brought me to my dr. was first a clear, watery discharge (pap test was clear), then a month later post-menopausal bleeding (that's when the ultra-sound was ordered).

like k9 said, your mass could be a whole lot of nothing and i hope it is. best wishes to you and let us know how you are doing.

Thank you all for your advice. As you said, it has a very good chance of being nothing and I am trying to keep that in mind and maintain a positive outlook. I think I will contact my gyn tomorrow to discuss again at least having a CA125 blood test done before my hyst and the possibility of seeing another doctor also. Thank you again, this is all very worrisome as you all know too well.

Sandra

Dear Sandra,

Yes, please, go see a gyn/onc asap, and please do not let the gyn do your hysterectomy. Gynecologists are not qualified to do cancer hysterectomies. Let's hope there won't be any cancer, but please don't take any chances.

Notice the posts here from sisters who say their gyns sent them right over to a gynecologic oncologist. This is what should be done -- someone with an "indeterminable solid mass" and "free fluid in the cul de sac" requires the expertise of a gyn/onc -- so please get the care that you need.

I pray that your mass will be something totally benign.

Well, I just called my gyn's office and they won't refer me. They said there is such a shortage of oncologists (I live in Ontario, Canada and the doctor/specialist shortage here is very bad) that they can't refer unless my gyn feels very strongly that there is cancer and he doesn't. Because I'm "too young". This is the downside to a public health system (don't get me wrong, there are many upsides to it....this just doesn't happen to be one of them). Now I know why there are many people in Canada that travel to the US for treatment if they are denied it here.

My gyn said he will biopsy during my hyst and if there is cancer, he will THEN refer me. Not until that happens. Now I'm scared AND angry.

Sandra

dear sandra...that is very distressing news...to think that if they do find cancer during a hysterectomy, you would have to have another surgery...what a waste...omg...that's terrible. i didn't even know there was such a surgeon as a gyn/onc when my cancer was suspected...and i know my obs/gyn suspected it was cancer due to my age and post-menopausal bleeding...also from transvaginal ultrasound results and looking at c.t. scan! yet, he didn't think to refer me to a gyn/onc!! i'm in toronto, ontario with 2 renown cancer centres...sunnybrook and princess margaret...where are you located? at the very least, insist upon the ca125 test...you can pay for it yourself...i don't think it's too expensive. if it happens to be elevated, maybe that will give your gyn more incentive to refer you to a gyn/onc. have you had a c.t. scan? my g.p. ordered the ultrasound and c.t. scan before referring me to gyn.

ultimately, i pray that you do not have cancer. good luck...don't give up.