The management of ovarian cysts in postmenopausal women – 2025
Abstract
Ovarian cysts are diagnosed with increasing frequency in postmenopausal women as more patients are undergoing imaging in connection with medical care. An ovarian cyst inevitably raises the question of its relevance to the woman’s symptoms and concerns for the possibility of ovarian cancer. The understandable fear of malignancy has driven many patients and their care providers to pursue further testing and surgical investigation. This guideline aims to clarify when ovarian masses can be managed within a general gynaecological service or when referral to a specialist gynaecological oncology service is appropriate. This should help in determining whether surgical or expectant management is more appropriate, and help to avoid unnecessary surgery or invasive or costly testing in the vast majority of patients in whom simple cysts are benign. This guideline was amended in December 2025 in line with a consensus statement issued on behalf of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR), and supported by the British Gynaecological Cancer Society (BGCS), and British Society of Urogenital Radiology (BSUR) regarding follow up of simple ovarian cysts in postmenopausal women. For postmenopausal women, unilateral, unilocular simple ovarian cysts measuring 3 cm or less detected on imaging do not require routine follow up. The management of confirmed ovarian malignancy is outside the remit of this guideline.
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BibTeX
@article{endocrinology2026management,
title = {{The management of ovarian cysts in postmenopausal women – 2025}},
author = {REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY},
journal = {Репродуктивная эндокринология},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.18370/2309-4117.2026.85.90-94},
url = {https://doi.org/10.18370/2309-4117.2026.85.90-94},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - The management of ovarian cysts in postmenopausal women – 2025
AU - REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - Репродуктивная эндокринология
DO - 10.18370/2309-4117.2026.85.90-94
UR - https://doi.org/10.18370/2309-4117.2026.85.90-94
AB - Ovarian cysts are diagnosed with increasing frequency in postmenopausal women as more patients are undergoing imaging in connection with medical care. An ovarian cyst inevitably raises the question of its relevance to the woman’s symptoms and concerns for the possibility of ovarian cancer. The understandable fear of malignancy has driven many patients and their care providers to pursue further testing and surgical investigation. This guideline aims to clarify when ovarian masses can be managed within a general gynaecological service or when referral to a specialist gynaecological oncology service is appropriate. This should help in determining whether surgical or expectant management is more appropriate, and help to avoid unnecessary surgery or invasive or costly testing in the vast majority of patients in whom simple cysts are benign. This guideline was amended in December 2025 in line with a consensus statement issued on behalf of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR), and supported by the British Gynaecological Cancer Society (BGCS), and British Society of Urogenital Radiology (BSUR) regarding follow up of simple ovarian cysts in postmenopausal women. For postmenopausal women, unilateral, unilocular simple ovarian cysts measuring 3 cm or less detected on imaging do not require routine follow up. The management of confirmed ovarian malignancy is outside the remit of this guideline.
SN - 2309-4117
SN - 2411-1295
ER -