Ovarian Masses Health Channel

	Feature Article Illustrations for this article Click on an image below to enlarge Ascites with ovarian cancer, CT scan Ovarian cyst Show all 3 photos Ovarian growths Alternative Names Ovarian mass; Adnexal mass Information There are many causes for growths on the ovary. Your age and medical history are important in evaluating an ovarian growth. Prior to menopause, the ovary forms a fluid filled sac (ovarian cyst) every month as a normal part of the process of releasing an egg. There are other reasons the ovary can form a cyst; most of these are not worrisome. If a cyst is large (over 5 centimeters), or doesn't go away after a few months, then you may need to have it further evaluated or removed. See ovarian cysts. All ovarian growths that are not simple fluid filled sacs -- they are complex or solid -- should be investigated by your doctor regardless of age. Continue reading this article

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Ovarian cancer (8 images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Ovarian cancer is cancer that starts in the ovaries. The ovaries are the female reproductive organs that produce eggs. Reviewer: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/11/2006

Ovarian cysts (4 images) Average Rating: (Doctor-Reviewed information)
An ovarian cyst is a sac filled with fluid or a semisolid material that develops on or within an ovary. Reviewer: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 06/20/2006

Polycystic ovary disease (6 images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Polycystic ovary disease is characterized by enlarged ovaries with multiple small cysts, an abnormally high number of follicles at various states of maturation, and a thick, scarred capsule surrounding each ovary. The syndrome was originally reported by Stein and Leventhal in 1935 when they described a group of women with amenorrhea (absence of menstrual period), infertility, hirsutism (unwanted hair growth in women), and enlarged polycystic ovaries. Today, it is known that those with polycystic ovaries may have some, but not necessarily all, of the "classic" symptoms included in Stein-Leventhal syndrome. Reviewer: Robert Hurd, MD, Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/12/2006

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