Clinical characteristics of primary Fallopian tube carcinoma: A single-institution retrospective study of 57 cases

Early-stage serous fallopian tube carcinoma

Primary fallopian tube carcinoma (PFTC) is a rare disease. Its location, close association with epithelial ovarian carcinoma, and lack of specific signs and symptoms make diagnosis challenging especially in its early stages. We report a postmenopausal patient who presented with a 2-month history of abdominopelvic pain with watery vaginal discharge. Imaging findings showed a 7 cm complex left adnexal mass. The patient underwent a robotic-assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and surgical staging. Findings were significant for stage IA serous fallopian tube carcinoma. PFTC is sometimes missed preoperatively and intraoperatively. Available literature review has focused on the clinical and imaging characteristics of PFTC to aid in timely disease diagnosis. Minimally invasive surgery is a viable option in the diagnosis and management of early-stage ovarian cancer due to improved visualisation of pelvic structures, decreased length of hospital stay, decreased estimated blood loss and lower postoperative complication rates compared with laparotomy.

Successful pregnancy via in vitro fertilization in a primary infertile woman with primary lymphoma of the fallopian tube after surgery: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE

Primary extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphomas of the fallopian tube is extremely rare. It is a great challenge for fertility and gynecology doctors to manage such cases and also fulfil the reproductive demands of these young women.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 30-year-old woman consulted for a 5-year primary infertility.

DIAGNOSIS

According to the Ann Arbor staging system, a stage IE extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma was diagnosed for this patient based on tumor pathology, bone marrow biopsy, hysteroscopy and whole-body positron emission tomography imaging. She also had endometriosis based on laparoscopy.

INTERVENTIONS

The patient underwent a laparoscopic bilateral salpingostomy without additional surgery or radiotherapy and chemotherapy for fertility preservation, and received 5 months of long-acting gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist treatment for endometriosis.

OUTCOMES

Two years after the surgery, the patient delivered a healthy neonate through in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer procedures. The patient is now 3 years post-op and 1 year post-delivery, long-term follow-up suggested that the patient remained cancer-free up till now.

LESSONS

More care should be taken when the newly diagnosed mass is combined with a rather high serum CA-125 level. Although endometriosis and ovarian cancer are more common, lymphoma cannot be ruled out.