Are most uterine fibroids non cancerous?
My girlfriend was diagnosed with one. She is not having any problems with pain, bleeding etc. It was picked up when she had a Hysterosonography done (the test from Hell for sure!! very painful and very invasive.)
The ob/gyn Dr has referred her to a gyn-oncologist to have it removed. The Dr didn’t answer any of our questions, so needless to say we are both very frustated. We asked if it needed to be removed asap, or if it could wait. I know quite a few women that have fibroids that never have them removed, and never have any problems with them. The Dr said this was a "mass" in her uterus, I’m wondering if that means cancer?
God I hate Dr’s in Florida, they are the absolute WORST in the country. She has an appointment with a specialist for a consultation next week to see what’s going on, hopefull she’ll get some straight answers on what to do.
Opinions are welcome, especially from the medical profession.
one of the main questions we wanted to know is that IF it needs to be removed, can this type of surger be done under a local and not general anesthsia? Like an epidural?
PS the doctor "dismissed" us both as patients because we calmly asked a few questions about this and what the options are. We were told to seek healthcare elsewhere. I guess that’s telling us, "if you question my authority or take up too much of my time, you’re outta here…" Gotta love the medical profession………..NOT
Filed under: Fibroids Uterine
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I was under the assumption that all fibroids are non-cancerous, and that if it was cancerous then it would be called a fibroid. I think the definition on a lot of sites is that a fibroid is a non-cancerous growth.
Not that they cant cause pain or problems though.
That would be really annoying that the doctor isn’t being helpful, I think personally even if I was told I didn’t need to have it removed, I still would, just for peace of mind and knowing that you wouldnt have to worry about it any longer.
Fibroids are, by definition, non-cancerous. However, they can still cause problems, such as bleeding, pressure, and pain. If a fibroid is rapidly enlarging, then it is best to have it removed; also if it is causing symptoms.
As for having them removed, I don’t think it’s possible to have it done under local. If it is a submucosal fibroid, which projects into the cavity of the uterus, then they can get at it from inside the uterus, but it requires cervical dilation. If it is not submucosal, then they have to approach it through an abdominal incision.
The only sure cure for fibroids is a hysterectomy. Even if a fibroid is removed, new ones can grow back or others can enlarge.
Trivia point: fibroids are the most common tumor in humans. Up to 30% of women have fibroids.
Hope this helps.