Medical News Today: Adnexal mass: What to know

Adnexal masses are lumps that occur in the adnexa of the uterus, which includes the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. They have several possible causes, which can be gynecological or nongynecological.An adnexal mass could be:an ovarian cystan ectopic pregnancya benign tumora malignant tumorA family doctor can usually manage benign masses. However, prepubescent and postmenopausal individuals will need to see a gynecologist or oncologist.Malignant adnexal masses require treatment from a specialist.In this article, we discuss the characteristics of adnexal masses. We also review how doctors diagnose and treat adnexal them.SymptomsShare on PinterestPeople report different symptoms, depending on the cause of the adnexal mass.People with an adnexal mass may report:severe lower abdominal or pelvic pain that is usually on one sideabnormal bleeding from the uteruspain during sexual intercourseworsening pain during a periodpainful periodsabnormally heavy bleeding during periodsabdominal symptoms, including a feeling of fullness, bloating, constipation, difficulty eating, increased abdominal size, indigestion, nausea, and vomitingurinary urgency, frequency, or incontinenceweight losslack of energyfatiguefevervaginal dischargeDifferent causes of adnexal masses may have similar symptoms, so doctors usually conduct further investigations to determine the exact cause.Once the doctor has worked out the cause of the adnexal mass, they can recommend treatment and management.CausesAdnexal masses include a variety of different conditions that range in severity from benign growths to malignant tumors.The cause of adnexal masses could be gynecological or nongynecological.Some of the causes of adnexal masses include:Ectopic pregnancy: A pregnancy where the fertilized egg implants somewhere outside the uterus.Endometrioma: A benign cyst on the ovary that contains thick, old blood that appears brown.Leiomyoma: A benign gynecological tumor, also known as a fibroid.Ovarian cancer: These tumors of the ovary may be ovarian epithelial cancers that begin in the cells on the surface of the ovary or malignant germ cell cancers that begin in the eggs.Pelvic inflammatory disease: Inflammation of the upper genital tract, which includes the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries.