Is surgery necessary for removal of non-cancerous cyst on liver?
Patient: Yes. A friend of mine who is 74 who is in good shape and works out three times a week, and Yoga twice a week, had a CT scan, which shows she has a non-cancerous cyst on her Liver. Her doctors are not overly concerned, but she is very upset and is afraid that she might have to surgery. Can you suggest anything that I can said to her, to possible make her feel more at ease? Doctor: Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service. I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.  Benign (non cancerous) cyst in the liver are generally harmless and does not require surgery. Hepatic surgery is an extensive procedure and is not recommended for a non-cancerous lesion especially for this age group. However frequent follow-ups are required and we a have to check whether the size is increasing or not. If the tumor grows rapidly or in case of symptoms like bleeding, we have to operate.  Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Shinas Hussain