Cancerous Fibroids

This is what I found:

Are Uterine Fibroids a Kind of Cancer?

Many people think that fibroids are a kind of cancer due because they are often referred to as ‘Fibroid Tumor’. While it is true that fibroid are a type of tumor, to think of them as cancerous is incorrect. Uterine fibroids are actually non-cancerous (benign) growths of the uterus, meaning that they do not have cancer cells.

Can Uterine Fibroids Lead to Cancer?

Typically, fibroids neither lead to cancer nor do they increase a woman’s chances of developing cancer of uterus. However, studies indicate that one out of every 1,000 women admitted to the hospital for fibroid surgery have a leiomyosarcoma, an extremely rare form of malignant tumor of the uterine muscle. Although the average age for the development of leiomyosarcoma is 58-years-old, under some extremely rare circumstances this form of uterine cancer may also develop in young women.

What are the Symptoms of Cancerous Uterine Fibroids?

Basically, there are two significant symptoms, which indicate that a fibroid may be cancerous.

Rapid growth of the fibroids or the uterus.
Postmenopausal vaginal bleeding.

Up till now, research has not provided any evidence to link the rate of growth of fibroids with cancer. In other words, rapidly growing fibroids don’t necessarily indicate the presence of cancer.

However, the situation is a bit different in postmenopausal women. Studies suggest that the incidence of cancerous fibroids increases in women in their 50s and 60s. Therefore, if a woman is in her postmenopausal years, and is not on estrogen replacement therapy, fibroids in the uterus may be a cause of concern.


Are There any Tests to Detect Cancerous Uterine Fibroids?

Doctors use different procedures to determine whether the fibroids are cancerous or not. Some of them are:

Pelvic Examination - The uterus, vagina, cervix and ovaries are thoroughly examined to determine any abnormality in their shape and size.
Biopsy - This involves removing a small tissue sample of the fibroid and examining it under a microscope to detect any abnormality.
MRI/LDH Tests - A recent study found that by using a combination of a special MRI and a blood test called LDH, the diagnosis of uterine sarcoma could be reliably made without any surgery.


What are the Treatment Options for Cancerous Fibroids?

Surgical removal of the uterus, or hysterectomy, is the best procedure for the treatment of cancerous fibroids.

Hope this helps,

~Zig

Pre-cancerous cells on her cervix can be removed in a really simple office procedure. Pre-cancerous cells DO NOT mean she will get cancer. Nor does it mean she has cancer. There is just the potential to be cancer.

As far as the fibroids - they suck! They can cause terrible periods, awful cramps, etc. They will go away when she goes through menopause. There are other procedures for removing fibroids. She should talk to her doctor about what s/he recommends.

Thanks so much for the answers. I certainly was helpful and I will pass this along to my daughter.

I don't know if she had an MRI, but I do know they did the test for cancer on the tumors (took tissue from them), and that is when they said she had cancer in the fibroids.

Anyway, thank you again.

I wish your daughter the best however I would suggest that she get a second and / or maybe a third opinion before proceeding with treatment.

~Zig

I to believe that your daughter should get a second opinion before having any surgery to remove her tumors. Speaking from experience I feel she should go to a doctor who specialize in womens health not just a gynocologist. That way she will have a doctor who is more familiar with what she is going through and can give her more options.