What is the follow-up and prognosis for women with ovarian cysts?

Follow-up

Follow-up depends largely on the type of cyst noted.

Cysts in premenopausal women that show no evidence of cancer and are fewer than 4 inches in diameter may be observed for 2-4 weeks.

Prognosis 

The outlook for a woman with an ovarian cyst depends on the type and size of cyst as well as her age.

Benign (noncancerous) masses or cysts greatly outnumber malignant (cancerous) ones.

• Age:
  
  The development of a functional ovarian cyst depends on hormonal stimulation of the ovary. A woman is more likely to develop a cyst if she is still menstruating and her body is producing the hormone estrogen.
  
  Postmenopausal women: The incidence of functional cysts in this age group is about 10%. The other 90% of cysts are either benign or malignant. Therefore, early surgical removal is advisable for women in this age group. Cysts are cancerous in about 60% of women older than 80 years.
  
  
• Cyst size:
  
  The size of the ovarian cyst relates directly to the rate at which they shrink.
  
  Most cysts smaller than 2 inches in diameter are functional cysts.
  
  Surgery is recommended to remove any cyst larger than 4 inches in diameter.