Primary fallopian tube carcinoma: a clinicopathologic analysis and literature review.

BACKGROUND

Primary fallopian tube carcinoma (PFTC) is a rare tumor, and it is very difficult to diagnose preoperatively. The aims of this study were to evaluate the clinicopathologic features of primary fallopian tube carcinoma (PFTC) and to review the current available literature on PFTC.

METHODS

The medical records of 16 patients who were diagnosed with PFTC at Taipei Veterans General Hospital between January 2001 and December 2011 were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

The mean age at diagnosis was 63 years (range, 41-86 years), and the mean follow-up period was 39.8 months (range, 4.0-102.8 months). Fourteen (87.5%) patients were menopausal women. The most common clinical presentation was nonspecific pelvic pain (37.5%), followed by abnormal vaginal bleeding (31.2%), pelvic mass (18.8%), and gastrointestinal symptoms (12.5%). One patient was diagnosed with PFTC preoperatively; 11 (68.6%) patients were diagnosed as having adnexal mass of unknown origin, but primarily in the ovary. Other diagnoses included endometrial cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, and rectum cancer in one patient each. Three (18.8%) patients were in Stage I, two (12.5%) in Stage II, nine (56.2%) in Stage III, and two (12.5%) in Stage IV. The serous type was histologically predominant (75%), and six patients were of a high grade (37.5%). The 5-year disease-free survival rate was 73.3%.

CONCLUSION

PFTC is infrequently diagnosed preoperatively or intraoperatively due to its rarity, and has a varied and nonspecific presentation. Only 6.3% of the patients had typical symptoms suggestive of tubal carcinoma. This report may benefit surgeons by providing additional information about the clinicopathologic behavior of PFTC so that patients can be appropriately counseled.