FOLLOW-UP OF SMALL, POSTMENOPAUSAL OVARIAN CYSTS USING VAGINAL ULTRASOUND AND CA-125 ANTIGEN

To determine the natural history of small, simple ovarian cysts in pos tmenopausal women, 51 postmenopausal patients with small (<5 cm), smoo th, aseptate, hypoechogenic ovarian cysts, without ascites, were follo wed by vaginal ultrasound examinations every 3 months for an average p eriod of 2.5 years. In 34, CA-125 antigen was measured and found to be within normal limits. None of the cysts showed changes in texture, no r did ascites appear. The CA-125 antigen serum levels remained low. Th e mean size of the cysts decreased with time. There was no statistical ly significant correlation between the initial size of the cyst, its t endency to grow or shrink, and the absolute CA-125 serum level. Our fi ndings support the option of a conservative followup by repeated ultra sonic and CA-125 antigen examinations of small, simple cysts in postme nopausal women. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.