What is an ovarian mass?

Also known as: Ovarian cyst, pelvic mass

The ovaries are the sex organs that produce female hormones, and store and release eggs between puberty and menopause. An ovarian mass may be a cyst or a tumor growth, which may be non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous, that develops in one or both of a girl’s/woman’s ovaries.

Ovarian cysts are usually non-cancerous fluid filled sacs that frequently disappear on their own; in young girls under 8 years of age, most tumors found are also benign.

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Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM