Clinicopathologic Study on the Primary Malignant Tumors of The Fallopian Tube

Mok, Jung Eun; Jo, Jun Sik; Na, Jun Hee; Kim, Jong Hyeok; Kim, Bong Hee; Huh, Joor Rung; Kim, Yong Man; Kim, Young Tak; Nam, Joo Hyun

Abstract

Objective
The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathologic findings of eight patients with primary cancer of fallopian tube diagnosed and treated in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ulsan, Asan Medical Center for nine years.
Methods
Demographic characteristics, symptoms, signs, stage, tumor grade, mode of therapy and survival of patients were reviewed retrospectively.
Results
The patients with primary cancer of fallopian tube constituted 0.4% of all gynecologic malignancies encountered during this period. The age of patients ranged 42 to 70 years(mean+/- S.D.; 53.9+/-9.9) and half of patients were postmenopausal and two patients were nulliparous. Patients were treated by simple or radical hysterectomy and bilateral salpingoophorectomy with or without omentectomy and five patients received postoperative chemotherapy. The FIGO surgical stages of the patients were I(4 cases), II(2 cases), III(1 case) and IV(1 case). There were 3 cases of adenocarcinoma, 3 cases of malignant mixed Mullerian tumor, 1 case of undifferentiated carcinoma and 1 case of serous cystic tumor of low malignancy potential. Serum CA 125 values were followed during treatment and decreased during clinical remission and increased at the time of tumor progression. The mean follow-up duration was 24.3(+28.3) months and 7 patients were alive free of disease and one patients with stage Ic died of the disease.
Conclusion
Primary fallopian tube cancer is an extremely rare malignancy of the female genitalia and preoperative diagnosis of this disease is difficult. Cytoreductive surgery and postoperative combination chemotherapy seem to be effective treatment and CA 125 value could reflect the disease status during the treatment and follow-up of patients.