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Pelvic Mass
What is a pelvic mass?
There are a number of unique tumors that can grow within the pelvis (the very lowest part of the inside of the torso) that can originate from the pelvic organs (such as rectal tumors, endometrioma, germ cell tumors and other gynecologic masses). Other masses, called retrorectal or presacral masses, are congenital abnormalities (such as congenital cysts, teratoma, duplication of the rectum and anterior sacral meningocele), or tumors (such as dermoid cysts, chordoma, sarcoma, gastrointestinal stomal tumors (GIST), leiomyomas, carcinoid and neuogenic tumors).
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms related to pelvic mass are pain and change in bowel habits or continence. Unfortunately, many patients do not experience any symptoms.
How are pelvic masses diagnosed?
Pelvic masses are usually diagnosed by a combination of history and physical examination, and radiographic studies such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MR), and ultrasound.
What treatments are available?
While some of these tumors are proven to be benign (not cancerous) through advanced imaging and image-guided biopsy, surgical removal is the treatment of choice to establish diagnosis and/or to relieve symptoms.
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