Epidemiology
The epidemiology of ovarian cysts is unclear due to the lack of consistent reporting and a high likelihood of spontaneous resolution. Worldwide, about 7% of women have an ovarian cyst at some point in their lives.[1] One study based on autopsy findings in post-menopausal women (mean age 73 years), showed that about 15% of post-menopausal women have adnexal cysts.[2] Prevalence of benign masses among post-menopausal women was 0.8% to 1.8% in a screening study.[3] Most US prevalence data indicate a range among the general population of 3% to 15%. A large European screening trial revealed a 21.2% incidence of ovarian cysts among healthy post-menopausal women.[4] Approximately 1.2% of women in the US will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer during their lifetime, based on National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data from 2015 to 2017.[5] In 2020, an estimated 21,750 new cases of ovarian cancer will be reported, 48.6% (SEER 18 2010-2016) of whom can expect to survive 5 years or more after diagnosis.[5]
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