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Earlier this week,Sharon Stonerevealed she recently received a misdiagnosis that turned out to be a “large fibroid tumor” causing her severe pain.
The Specialistactress, 64, urged women to always get a second opinion from medical professionals after she underwent an “incorrect procedure” rather than being treated for a fibroid that needed removal.
PEOPLE spoke toDr. Mary Jane Minkin, a board-certified OB/GYN at Yale University School of Medicine, to discuss how likely it is for fibroids to go undetected and what women should know about the condition.
What Are Fibroids?
Many women have uterine fibroids at some point during their life but don’t realize it because most don’t experience symptoms. For those who do, heavy menstrual bleeding, long periods, pelvic pain, frequent urination, constipation and back and leg pain are most common.
While they’re not cancerous, they can become life-threatening if they’re left untreated and grow to a size where they might impede or deform other organs. Although rare, fibroids can also interfere with pregnancy.
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Are Fibroids Often Misdiagnosed?
“It would be very unusual for a large fibroid tumor to be missed on an exam in an average sized woman. It would also be very very unusual for a large fibroid tumor to be growing in a woman who is 64 years old,” Minkin says of Stone’s case, though she did not treat her. “Fibroids do not, in general, grow in post-menopausal women.”
“So if a woman comes in with a new large pelvic mass, I would assume it has a significant possibility of being a tumor of the uterus (fibroids are benign, in general) and that it would need to be removed,” she continues. “And a significantly enlarged uterus would be easily seen on an ultrasound — or even a CAT scan, although ultrasounds are usually better at looking at fibroids.”
Minkin adds that if a patient, like Stone, is experiencing severe pain and seeking medical care, their healthcare provider should be doing a physical exam or radiology procedures, like an ultrasound or CAT scan, to evaluate for abnormalities.
How Are Fibroids Treated?
Medications for uterine fibroids target hormones that regulate a patient’s menstrual cycle, treating symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding and pelvic pressure. They don’t eliminate fibroids, but may shrink them, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Traditional surgical procedures for fibroids include an abdominal myomectomy and a hysterectomy.
A myomectomy is an operation to remove fibroids while preserving the uterus. This is typically the option for women who are experiencing symptoms but want to have children in the future. While the procedure is very effective, there is a possibility for fibroids to re-grow on the uterus.
A hysterectomy is a surgery to remove the uterus, the only permanent solution to uterine fibroids. By removing the uterus, fibroids can’t come back and symptoms should go away. A hysterectomy also ends a patient’s ability to bear children.
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Experts note that it’s unclear what exactly causes uterine fibroids, but genetic and hormonal shifts, especially in estrogen and progesterone, seem to play a substantial role, according to theMayo Clinic. They’re also more common in women whose mother or sisters have had one.
In addition to Stone, other stars likeBethenny Frankel,Cynthia Bailey,Jill Martin,Sara Bareilles,Nischelle Turner, andTiffany Crosshave shared their experiences with fibroids.
source: people.com
