Removal of Cysts and Tumors

Benign tumors also usually don't need treatment. If the tumor is impacting a nearby area or causing other problems, you may need surgery to remove it. Cancerous tumors almost always require treatment with surgical removal, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.

What are cysts and tumors?
Finding a lump under your skin is alarming, but most of the time they’re harmless. Cysts and tumors are two common types of lumps. It can be hard to tell them apart because they’re often found in the same places. For example, it’s possible to have both ovarian cysts and ovarian tumors. However, there are a few key differences between the two.

A cyst is a small sac filled with air, fluid, or other material. A tumor refers to any unusual area of extra tissue. Both cysts and tumors can appear in your skin, tissue, organs, and bones.

Cyst facts
- Cysts are closed sac-like or capsule structures that may be filled with semisolid material, gaseous material, or liquid.
- There are several causes of cysts, including genetic, infectious, and other causes that result in hundreds of types of cysts.
- Risk factors for developing a cyst are related to the underlying causes of the cyst formation.
- Most cysts are asymptomatic and have no signs. However, some cysts on the skin, mucous membranes, and those located in palpable organs often can be felt as a lump or bump; sometimes they are painful.
- Some cysts may produce symptoms related to the organs in which they are located (for example, liver, pancreas, or kidneys).
- It's possible to diagnose cysts by palpation, ultrasound, X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, and needle biopsies.
- Most cysts do not require treatment, however, physicians may use needle aspiration or surgical removal to treat some cysts.
- There are many specialists, both medical and surgical, who may treat cysts.
- Check with a doctor before trying home remedies to remove cysts.
- The prognosis for most cysts is good; a few cysts that contain malignant cells have a more guarded prognosis.
- Most cysts are not preventable; those that are preventable are usually related to infectious causes.