Benign Mucinous Tumors of the Ovary
Features of mucinous tumors
The benign ovarian mucinous tumors are characterized with multilocular appearance. The tumor has several lobes which are covered by smooth epithelium. This epithelial lining of the benign mucinous tumor will resemble the cervical epithelium with small number of gastrointestinal epithelium along with it. The mucinous tumors account for about 12 -15 %of all ovarian tumors. Of these 75 % of the mucinous tumors are harmless or benign.
The main feature of the benign mucinous tumors is that they are filled with jelly or mucous like substance. This peculiar feature gives the tumors the name mucinous tumor. This mucous like material is produced by mucous secreting cells which are similar to the intestinal lining cells. Another feature of these benign mucinous tumors is that they can grow very much in size. Some ovarian tumors have attained the weight of 25 kilograms.
The high risk group
Women above the age of 45 are more prone to develop mucinous tumor. Women who had early menarche and late menopause are also at risk. Women who are addicted to smoking are at high risk. Studies have shown that smoking significantly increases the chance of tumors. Pseudomyxoma Peritonei may result from ovarian mucinous tumor. This is a condition resulting by the rupture of the tumor. Mucinous tumor of the appendix is the most common reason for this condition rather than the ovarian tumor.
Mucinous tumors of other parts
Apart from ovaries, pancreas also develops mucinous tumors that are benign. These cystic tumors grow inside pancreas and contain certain clear fluid. Mucinous Cystadenoma are the common type of mucinous tumor that develops in pancreas. If not given treatment, there are chances that some of them will convert into malignant tumors. 80 % of the women who develop these tumors are above the age of 50 years. The treatment of this tumor involves surgical removal of the growth of the benign tissue from the pancreas.
Patient with mucinous tumor of the pancreas shows certain symptoms like pain in the upper part of the abdomen, loss of appetite and in certain cases jaundice. Other early symptoms of mucinous tumor include nausea, fatigue and discolored urine. The identification of these tumors is based on the appearance of the cyst in the radiological imaging. Even though most of the mucinous tumor are benign and do not interfere with the functioning of the body. There are chances that they may grow to extraordinary size damaging the organs. So treatment is unavoidable.