Dermoid Cysts - Learn The Facts About This Most Bizarre Of Cysts
Marc Sandford
December 03, 2008
Among the various forms of ovarian cysts, dermoid cysts have to be the strangest. They're considered a benign kind of teratoma. Teratoma is Greek and means "monster tumor".
Because of this bizarre aspect, lots of myths about this cyst have come about over the years. Health decisions should not be made on misconceptions rather than the facts. In this article, I will deal with 3 common questions that get asked about dermoid cysts.
1.) What are dermoid cysts?
Dermoid cysts may be made up of all of the forms of human tissue. This includes nerve tissue, teeth, hair, bone, nails, cartilage, thyroid tissue, eyes, skin, fat, blood, and sweat glands.
This occurs because these cysts originate from undifferentiated germ cells. Undifferentiated germ cells can become any of the various types of tissue occurring within the body. As mentioned previously, a dermoid cyst is a type of teratoma. A teratoma is a tumor which has the same three components or germ cell layers as the human embryo.
These germ cell layers are called the endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm layers. The endoderm is the inner of the three germ cell layers of the embryo that develops into the lining of digestive system, respiratory system, liver, pancreas, and bladder. The mesoderm is the middle layer of embryonic cells into which the muscular, skeletal, vascular, and connective tissues develop. The ectoderm is the outermost layer which develops into the skin, nerves, and brain tissue.
As you can see, a dermoid cyst has all of the components that a human embryo has and therefore can grow any of the tissues that a human body is made of.
2.) Who can be affected by dermoid cysts?
Dermoid cysts found on the face, scalp, and neck are not uncommon, and can afflict male and female alike. This type of cyst may be found at birth. But dermoid cysts in the ovaries usually affect women between twenty years of age to about forty. They typically affect only a single ovary but can afflict both of the ovaries in 15% of all cases.
3.) What are the health risks?
In spite of their frightening nature, malignant dermoid cysts are rare. If features such as hair, teeth, etc. are distinctly identifiable inside the cyst, malignancy is extremely remote. These rare cancers will normally affect women in their forties and older.
Benign dermoids can have health risks which are related to the size of the cyst. Cysts that are small don't normally have any symptoms and are usually found during a routine pelvic exam. An MRI, ultrasound, X-ray, or CT scan may be used to diagnose the cyst as dermoid.
If a cyst grows too large, inflammation may occur. Irritation of the abdominal cavity may also result, a condition referred to as peritonitis.
A more typical complication is that they can twist and block the flow of blood to the ovary. A rupture in the cyst may occur with the spillage of its internal contents into the abdominal cavity. If a cyst grows too large it can push against and impair the function of the surrounding organs.
Dermoid cysts don't disappear on their own so surgical removal may be required if any health complications occur. Dermoid cysts of any size should be closely watched by your doctor.
Looking for the facts about ovarian cysts and PCOS? Learn about ovarian cyst symptoms and an ovarian cyst holistic cure.
Because of this bizarre aspect, lots of myths about this cyst have come about over the years. Health decisions should not be made on misconceptions rather than the facts. In this article, I will deal with 3 common questions that get asked about dermoid cysts.
1.) What are dermoid cysts?
Dermoid cysts may be made up of all of the forms of human tissue. This includes nerve tissue, teeth, hair, bone, nails, cartilage, thyroid tissue, eyes, skin, fat, blood, and sweat glands.
This occurs because these cysts originate from undifferentiated germ cells. Undifferentiated germ cells can become any of the various types of tissue occurring within the body. As mentioned previously, a dermoid cyst is a type of teratoma. A teratoma is a tumor which has the same three components or germ cell layers as the human embryo.
These germ cell layers are called the endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm layers. The endoderm is the inner of the three germ cell layers of the embryo that develops into the lining of digestive system, respiratory system, liver, pancreas, and bladder. The mesoderm is the middle layer of embryonic cells into which the muscular, skeletal, vascular, and connective tissues develop. The ectoderm is the outermost layer which develops into the skin, nerves, and brain tissue.
As you can see, a dermoid cyst has all of the components that a human embryo has and therefore can grow any of the tissues that a human body is made of.
2.) Who can be affected by dermoid cysts?
Dermoid cysts found on the face, scalp, and neck are not uncommon, and can afflict male and female alike. This type of cyst may be found at birth. But dermoid cysts in the ovaries usually affect women between twenty years of age to about forty. They typically affect only a single ovary but can afflict both of the ovaries in 15% of all cases.
3.) What are the health risks?
In spite of their frightening nature, malignant dermoid cysts are rare. If features such as hair, teeth, etc. are distinctly identifiable inside the cyst, malignancy is extremely remote. These rare cancers will normally affect women in their forties and older.
Benign dermoids can have health risks which are related to the size of the cyst. Cysts that are small don't normally have any symptoms and are usually found during a routine pelvic exam. An MRI, ultrasound, X-ray, or CT scan may be used to diagnose the cyst as dermoid.
If a cyst grows too large, inflammation may occur. Irritation of the abdominal cavity may also result, a condition referred to as peritonitis.
A more typical complication is that they can twist and block the flow of blood to the ovary. A rupture in the cyst may occur with the spillage of its internal contents into the abdominal cavity. If a cyst grows too large it can push against and impair the function of the surrounding organs.
Dermoid cysts don't disappear on their own so surgical removal may be required if any health complications occur. Dermoid cysts of any size should be closely watched by your doctor.
Looking for the facts about ovarian cysts and PCOS? Learn about ovarian cyst symptoms and an ovarian cyst holistic cure.
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