Serena Williams health scare: What is a gill cyst and is it cancerous? Everything you need to know

We have all seen players fall victim to serious injuries on the field. Although Serena Williams has hardly ever survived such trials, she has unfortunately run into medical problems. The WTA star was diagnosed with a lump after an MRI scan in May. While fans were worried, the American sensation made a crucial announcement regarding her branchial cleavage cyst diagnosis. Don’t worry, it seems to be a “scientific bite.” However, the alarming growth in her body begs the question: what is it?

Classified as a congenital birth defect, more specifically a series of underlying tissues in the neck that grow unconventionally. While the visually visible “lump-like” deformity in children is usually corrected, in some cases the insignificant growth of the defect remains undetected. According to medical research, the cyst is benign – meaning it does not have any cancer-causing properties. However, in extreme cases, the deformity can pose a critical threat if it contains malignant tissue. The good news is that it is curable with minor surgery.

Although we don’t know much about Serena’s case yet, such cysts are generally surgically removable. Doctors generally advise doing this after the patient has received their first course of antibiotics to prevent an injection.