Referral for ovarian cancer at 30, handhold please

[Pixiepop14]

Hey everyone,

I am driving myself mad after getting a phone call at lunch today and I do have severe anxiety/worrisome tendencies

I went to the GP 6 weeks ago after experiencing some unusual heavy bleeding, I am on cerelle mini pill which means I don’t get periods so I wanted to get it checked out. The GP was super helpful and referred me for blood tests and an ultrasound which I had yesterday.

I got a phone call from a different GP this morning saying my results had come back and he was urgently referring me because I had a large cyst on my ovary. He didn’t go into too much detail and I was okay with it, until I went onto the MyGP app to see he had referred me for suspected ovarian cancer.

Lookinf on the NHS website I have no symptoms of ovarian cancer, I’m also relatively young, but it does also say it’s a silent killer and isn’t detected until much later on which has got me in a spiral

I am absolutely terrified because I never thought it would happen to me at 30. I’ve no children, I wasn’t convinced I wanted them either but I’m so scared of the waiting and the potential outcome.

Any advice or nice words to get me through the next 2 weeks?

I think they refer you so it can be checked out quickly just in case it’s serious but the majority of ovarian cysts are just fluid. I know that not much help when you’re imagining the worst but it’s prob nothing.

It might be his way of getting you seen. I've been on the waiting list to see the gynaecologist for 4 months and told they are still booking women referred to them five months ago at the moment for their initial appointments. I went to the GP again with lots of pain and she said she would refer me for an urgent scan and I've heard nothing about it and that was three or four weeks ago. A big cyst will possibly need looking into urgently if it's very big. I hope it all goes well for you.

I had a 6cm cyst on my left ovary which turned out to be an endometrioma - not cancerous, but my CA 125 was elevated and some of the symptoms were similar to ovarian cancer, so they didn't hang around. It was removed with day surgery and I had an MRI scan and CT scan too. Apparently I also had extensive endometriosis. I went on desogestrel and have had no symptoms for ten years. Before that I had the copper coil for five years - tbh I felt much better as soon as it was removed. I'd never felt quite right in the five years I had it but put it down to other thjngs.

About 3% of people referred on these urgent cancer pathways actually have cancer. The criteria is deliberately broad to avoid missing anything.

Easy for me to say, but I wouldn’t worry at this point. Sounds like usual practice xxx

On my notes on the app it does say it’s a simple looking cystic mass, but it is really big 😢

If you don’t mind me asking, how quickly was you referred for surgery from the appointment?

I think it was only about six weeks all in all.

For anyone visiting this thread in months/years to come and wanting an update..

My cyst is a very large(!) 21cm simple looking ovarian cyst. I went for my CA125 blood test and it came back as 10 (under 35 is unlikely to be cancer, but over 35 isn’t a positive indicator, it could be irritation from the cyst, endometriosis etc), and at my gynaecology appointment they said they are signing me off the cancer pathway but I do need surgery.

I have an MRI next week and then surgery will follow shortly afterwards. They are hoping to do keyhole so fingers crossed!

that’s very good for you to update - glad it wasn’t cancer and hope your surgery goes very smoothly

Glad to hear you are getting sorted and the cancer risk is minimal. Hope it all goes well for you I am sure it will.

When I lived abroad they did an US of your ovaries routinely when you had a smear test. It was a much better system.

I had a cyst once but it had gone 6 months later.

Great news good luck for your surgery.

@SharpOpalNewt just jumping on to say this currently sounds just like me but I’m worried sick! I apparently have 2 endo cysts one is 6cm and the other one i think looks serated or something. Anyway gynae doesn’t seem bothered but has order another CA125 (last one was 75) and I’ve asked for surgery as I don’t feel like I want to leave it! So he said I now also need an MRI! Convinced myself it’s bad news ☹️

Do you have the specialist training necessary to interpret ultrasound images in order for you to conclude that it's a serrated cyst when the consultant doesn't think it's concerning at all?

I saw your other post and I don't understand why you're convinced it's cancer when you've had specialist expertise thoroughly review you and conclude it's nothing concerning?

From what you've said across your own thread and this one, they've only arranged the MRI because you're pushing for surgery that they don't think is medically necessary and they are therefore seeking more information. Surgery isn't something to embark upon lightly just because you're anxious. Why have you convinced yourself it's cancer when you've been investigated and told it's not?

@SharpOpalNewt excuse me? He told me it was serated? And both are growing? So what I just leave them to get massive? And cause more pain? You’re so rude! It’s not my fault it’s making me very anxious? Don’t bother replying if u have nothing nice to say.

I think you meant to reply to @sandrevolutionary , not me.

Try not to worry too much as CA125 can definitely be elevated with non-cancerous cysts also. Usually they will operate with pain and the risk of torsion.

An MRI definitely doesn’t mean bad news - I had an MRI just so they could get a clearer picture for surgery!

@Pixiepop14 ahhh ok Thankyou! I find my consultant isn’t overly clear so I’ve just taken the approach of asking very direct questions now x

@SharpOpalNewt So sorry! Thanks so much for saying that. I’m only panicking as no one has been very clear and definitely sitting on the fence x

Mine is exactly the same! Don’t worry (or try not to, I know that’s so difficult to say)

To round this all off…

I had my surgery on Wednesday afternoon! I was absolutely terrified but the surgeon and his team did a good job. They drained my 23cm cyst, sutured it inside and I got to keep my ovary. It was the best case outcome. No signs of malignancy but they’ve sent a sample to histology anyway ☺️ I am very sore but already feeling a lot better

i always like when threads have an outcome as so many threads on here have helped me, which is why I’m updating. Thank you for your kind comments previously everyone, can’t believe it’s all done with!

Great result op. Hurrah

Great news, and thanks for letting us know. Rest up, relax, and feel better soon x

Glad it all turned out well for you. Thanks for coming back to update