Meigs syndrome is marked by the presence of ovary tumor (mostly harmless), ascites and pleural effusion. People with this syndrome will have parents or other members of the family with ovarian cancer. Ovarian tumor is more popular in women belonging to upper economic groups. Meigs syndrome can become a fibroma if the tumor is removed surgically. This syndrome is often benign (harmless) and can be managed properly. Ovarian tumor appears in the late 30’s and continues to develop and incidence of cases with this syndrome has been reported with age group 50-70 also.
Symptoms :
Not the symptoms are the same for all women but it can differ depending on the intensity of the tumor formed in the ovary. The affected women can have larger abdomen, weight gain (due to the prospective growth of the tumor), and bloated sensation. There can be missing periods or recurring periods in some women. It can cause nonproductive cough and shortness of breath also.
In severe cases, there can be pleural effusion on the right side of the lungs and sometimes on both the sides and clinical observation of the abdomen will indicate solid pelvic mass.
Read more on Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
Meigs Syndrome Causes :
Ovarian tumor and ascites are caused by several reasons. It can occur due to low levels of albumin, high blood pressure in the liver, and any type of liver disease like cirrhosis and hepatitis B infection. Certain medical conditions like congestive heart failure, pancreatitis, having clots in the veins of liver and thickening of outer sac of the heart can also cause Meigs syndrome.
Old age can increase the risk of getting ovarian tumor. Women in the menopause stage are prone to get ascitis and tumor in the ovary. Obesity, diabetes and smoking can also trigger formation of tumor. Prolonged use of oral contraceptive pills and undergoing hormone therapy can increase the risk of this syndrome. More than 75% of the patients diagnosed with cirrhosis will have ascities. Hyperthyroidism, elevated levels of CA 125 and struma ovary can also cause Meig’s syndrome.