Cystic Tumours - Any information please?

[lilspaz68]

Scenario - adopted 2 lovely little dumbo ladies who were originally from a breeder. These ladies are just over a year and the other (mom) is 10 weeks older

The daughter had lumps in both armpits so they were removed and she was spayed as well. It turned out to be cystic tumors, and she had them in her uterus as well....poor little Tonka uppy_dog_eyes:

The surgery was about a month ago...Tonka has another lump in the exact same place, and her mom also has a lump (found them last night).

Can anyone tell me what are cystic tumours (I found out they are benign), are they hormone driven, do they grow fast? do they grow often? Sigh... :undecided:

Tonka

Ashe AKA Monkeyface

 

[Vanessa]

I have them, in my breasts and probably in my uterus as well. Some people are just prone to them, and it might be genetic since my mum suffered from them as well. I have had them drained with a needle in my doctors office when she found them during a breast exam. Draining it was no big deal. As far as I know they are harmless, and pretty much painless as well. I think that they might contribute to cramping during menstruation if they are large or severe enough, but I have never had any problems.
I had a friend who was prone to getting them on her ovaries, and she lost one ovary because the cyst got to be the size of a grapefruit and it was just too stretched out to be viable anymore. Of course, at that point it was very painful because of the size. She had a smaller one on her other ovary a few years later, but recognized the signs and had it drained before it got too large to do the same damage. She has since had a child, so things worked out and the remaining ovary was still doing its job. Years later she had a huge one on the underside of her breast that she discovered in the shower one day, it was not painful or anything but she did have it removed.
My understanding is that they are hormone driven, and can fluctuate in size around hormonal peaks and that is why they might contribute to cramping, and become more of an issue at an age where hormones are increased (my friend got the first grapefruit sized one at about 16 years old and the last one on her breast in her late twenties). I also believe that they can be pretty fast growing. The last time I had one drained, I was in my mid-twenties and it was the size of a Loonie. Now, my doctor either ignores them or they have shrunk down.
So, based on my own experiences with them, I would say that they are ok for the most part but can be uncomfortable or painful if they are allowed to get too large.
Are you able to ask the vet if they can be drained on occasion instead of completely removed? I wonder if that is an option? I believe that they are mostly liquid filled.

 

[lilspaz68]

Oh thank you Vanessa!!!

I was soo worried these little guys were going to keep popping these things out and would have to have surgery after surgery etc.

I think these are the fibrocystic tumours and they are exactly as you said. They did say they often go away after menopause and luckily in rats menopause can start at 18 months.

I think I will watch them carefully and if they stay small and don't seem to bother them, I'll try not to worry. Any that start to grow and become a problem I might have removed or drained.

*WHEW*

 

[jorats]

I too have fibrocystic breast disease and had them on my ovaries as well. So this can keep popping out all the time and in different places too. I certainly wouldn't have each one removed.
Now, if they go away after menopause, then that would suggest that estrogen plays a role, perhaps a spay might be beneficial?

 

[lilspaz68]

I too have fibrocystic breast disease and had them on my ovaries as well. So this can keep popping out all the time and in different places too. I certainly wouldn't have each one removed.
Now, if they go away after menopause, then that would suggest that estrogen plays a role, perhaps a spay might be beneficial?

I will have to look into that for Ashe since Tonka is already spayed.

 

[SQ]

That sounds like good news for the two sweet girls.
Hopefully, the spay will help limit their size and the number that appear.

 

[Vanessa]

I will have to look into that for Ashe since Tonka is already spayed.

Spaying should have the same results as menopause.