open access: Jan 2012 - Assessing the malignant potential of ovarian inclusion cysts in postmenopausal women within the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS): a prospective cohort study

Objective  To evaluate the malignant potential of ultrasound-detected ovarian inclusion cysts in the development of ovarian cancer (OC) in postmenopausal women.

Design  Prospective cohort study.

Setting  UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS).

Population  Postmenopausal women.

Conclusions  Postmenopausal women with ultrasound-detected inclusion cysts do not seem to be at increased risk of ovarian or breast/endometrial (hormone-dependent) cancers.

see also 

Table 1.   Details of ovarian cancers detected in the cohort of women with inclusion cysts in year 1 

Table 2.   Details of ovarian cancers detected in the cohort of women with normal scans in year 1 

Table 3.   Relative risks of developing gynaecological cancers in women with inclusion cysts

Some ovarian tumors can be safely followed on ultrasound - Cancer Network

"Once thought a risk for malignancy, septated ovarian cystic tumors are actually mostly benign. A study at the University of Kentucky changes the standard of care for those patients."

Risk of malignancy in sonographically confirmed septated cystic ovarian tumors

CONCLUSIONS: Septated cystic ovarian tumors without solid areas or papillary projections have a low risk of malignancy and can be followed sonographically without surgery

full access: PLoS ONE: Ovarian Cyst Fluid of Serous Ovarian Tumors Contains Large Quantities of the Brain Amino Acid N-acetylaspartate

Background

"In humans, N-acetyl L-aspartate (NAA) has not been detected in other tissues than the brain. The physiological function of NAA is yet undefined. Recently, it has been suggested that NAA may function as a molecular water pump, responsible for the removal of large amounts of water from the human brain. Ovarian tumors typically present as large cystic masses with considerable fluid accumulation....."

Prevalence, incidence, and natural history of simple ovarian cysts among women >55 years old in a large cancer screening trial.

MRI of Endometriotic Cysts in Association With Ovarian Carcinoma -- Tanaka et al. 194 (2): 355 -- American Journal of Roentgenology

CONCLUSION. Endometriotic cysts with enhanced mural nodules are not always complicated with malignancy. In elderly patients, the presence of large enhanced nodules on large endometriotic cysts is more likely to indicate malignancy.

MRI of Endometriotic Cysts in Association With Ovarian Carcinoma

"CONCLUSION. Endometriotic cysts with enhanced mural nodules are not always complicated with malignancy. In elderly patients, the presence of large enhanced nodules on large endometriotic cysts is more likely to indicate malignancy."