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What Causes Lump In The Bartholin's Gland?
Question: My wife just had a partial Vulvectomy to remove a mass in her Bartholin Gland. The mass had been very painful and had grown very quickly. The pathologist has come back saying she has no idea what it is and they have sent it to a lab for a "second opinion" and second biopsy. My question is should I be more concered that the pathologist has no idea what it is? My wife is very concerned that it must be bad if they don't know what it is. Obviously the big concern is that it is cancer. I know you can't tell me what it is I just need an honest opinion how worried I should be.
Brief Answer:
Bartholins gland cancer is rare, and few pathologists could recognize it
Detailed Answer:
Hello, and I hope i can help you today,
I can understand why the pathologist's casual statement regarding getting a second opinion would make you and your wife anxious. What I can say is: because of the rarity of encountering carcinoma of the Bartholin's gland, most pathologists would seek a second opinion if there was any possibility of a malignancy in the biopsy.
Many pathologists would only see it once in their career.
A solid mass in the Bartholin's gland is one of the symptoms of Bartholin's cancer, but other tumors as well as chronic inflammation and scarring can cause a solid lump to form.
So I would not be immediately alarmed by the pathologists remark about not being immediately able to make a diagnosis, as Barthloins gland cancer is very rare (possibly a few hundred cases a year in the US). Furthermore, if the cancer is caught early, vulvectomy can be the only treatment necessary.
I hope I was able to adequately answer your question today, and that this information was reassuring. If I can give you any further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Best wishes,
Dr. Brown
Bartholins gland cancer is rare, and few pathologists could recognize it
Detailed Answer:
Hello, and I hope i can help you today,
I can understand why the pathologist's casual statement regarding getting a second opinion would make you and your wife anxious. What I can say is: because of the rarity of encountering carcinoma of the Bartholin's gland, most pathologists would seek a second opinion if there was any possibility of a malignancy in the biopsy.
Many pathologists would only see it once in their career.
A solid mass in the Bartholin's gland is one of the symptoms of Bartholin's cancer, but other tumors as well as chronic inflammation and scarring can cause a solid lump to form.
So I would not be immediately alarmed by the pathologists remark about not being immediately able to make a diagnosis, as Barthloins gland cancer is very rare (possibly a few hundred cases a year in the US). Furthermore, if the cancer is caught early, vulvectomy can be the only treatment necessary.
I hope I was able to adequately answer your question today, and that this information was reassuring. If I can give you any further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Best wishes,
Dr. Brown
Note: For further queries related to kidney problems Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
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