Many women are diagnosed with a fibroid at some point in their lives. Fibroids, also known as growths of the uterus, are benign tumours of the smooth muscle layer of the uterus.
After they appear, fibroids may cause no sign at all, and a person can carry on with her life for a long time while they remain silently in place without causing any complaint.
Are fibroids malignant tumours?
Very rarely, fibroids can turn into cancers called sarcomas. The rate of transformation into cancer is very low. For this reason having a fibroid does not mean that everyone has cancer of the uterus.
However, even though the rate is low, it must certainly come to mind especially in fibroids that grow very rapidly and in fibroids that tend to grow despite the menopause. Because in sarcomas, which are quite dangerous, it is quite common for metastasis (spread) to distant tissues to be seen at an early stage while the sarcoma is still in the uterus.
These formations, which occur in the uterus, in the uterine wall and on the surface of the uterus, can be of different shapes and sizes. Some fibroids are so small that they can barely be detected by the doctor during a gynaecological examination.
These fibroids can easily be detected with today’s high-resolution ultrasound devices and sometimes with magnetic resonance imaging. In some situations, however, fibroids that grow extremely large can also cause a change in the shape of the uterus.
At what age are fibroids seen?
Although they are generally seen between the ages of 30 and 40, they can occur at almost any age. They can even be seen in the menopause.
What are the symptoms of fibroids?
In some situations fibroids cause no sign at all. These fibroids are called silent fibroids. They can be noticed at a routine check-up, during an examination or on an ultrasound scan. In some situations, however, various signs are seen.
These signs vary from person to person. Very painful or heavy periods, bleeding between periods, a feeling of pressure, pain or swelling in the lower part of the abdomen are among the signs of fibroids.
In addition, in some people enlargement of the uterus or of the abdominal area, constipation, pain during sexual intercourse, miscarriage and infertility also appear, although rarely, as signs of fibroids.
Does every fibroid cause clinical complaints?
Our answer is of course no. Unfortunately many fibroids are very quiet. The expression “silent fibroid” comes from this. In patients whose fibroids are small, cause no complaint, do not press on the surroundings and cause no bleeding or pain, it is enough simply to follow these fibroids up.
The worst is that they can reach very large sizes without causing any complaint at all. They can seriously threaten the uterus. It can go as far as affecting the person’s ability to have children and even the removal of her uterus.
Treatment methods
There is no single method in the treatment of fibroids. More than one treatment option is considered for these formations. In addition, in fibroids that cause signs, supportive treatments aimed at relieving these signs can also be applied.
Silent fibroids that cause no sign in any way are followed up. This follow-up is the best option. Because fibroids are not cancerous cells and can only very rarely cause infertility.
Normally they grow very slowly or do not grow at all. After the menopause they are seen to shrink. The biggest reason for this is the fall in the levels of the reproductive hormones. In many cases of silent fibroids no treatment is needed.
However, in situations where there are signs, various hormone treatments, non-invasive methods, minimally invasive methods (both laparoscopy and robotic surgery) and surgical options are considered. Especially in fibroids that settle in the inner layer of the uterus, very satisfying results are obtained with hysteroscopic surgery.