Primary Fallopian Tube Carcinoma: A Single-Institution Experience of 101 Cases: A Retrospective Study

Lymphadenectomy and optimal excise lymph nodes count for early-stage primary fallopian tube cancer: a SEER-based study

BACKGROUNDS

There is still no consensus on the significance of Lymphadenectomy (LD) and the number of lymph nodes that need to be excised (ELNs) for adequate LD in patients with early-stage primary fallopian tube cancer (PFTC). Our endeavor is geared towards deepening comprehension of LD in early-stage PFTC and identify the optimal cut-off of ELNs.

METHODS

This SEER-based study analyzed the clinical data of patients with early-stage PFTC between 2000 and 2018. X-tile was employed to confirm the optimal cut-off of ELNs. The survival data between groups were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier estimates, Log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

There was significant improvement in both mean cancer-specific survival (CSS, p < 0.001) and overall survival (OS, p < 0.001) in LD group. Regardless of matched or not, LD was identified as an independent protective factor of CSS and OS. The optimal 3-year CSS-based cutoff of ELNs was 11 (p = 0.026) as determined by X-tile. Both the mean CSS (p = 0.001) and mean OS (p = 0.002) in adequate LD group (ELNs > 11, n = 574) were significantly longer than these in inadequate LD group (ELNs ≤ 11, n = 738). Adequate LD, FIGO stage, tumor grade and histology were significant prognostic factors for CSS and OS.

CONCLUSION

LD is an independent protective prognostic factor of patients with early-stage PFTC. The association between ELNs > 11 and an improved prognosis is evident. Future studies are needed to further clarify the results above.

Primary Fallopian Tube Carcinoma: An Extremely Rare Gynecological Cancer Misdiagnosed Intraoperatively as Benign Ovarian Neoplasm: A Case Report

Primary fallopian tube carcinoma is very rare. Diagnosis is challenging. The description of our case concerns an asymptomatic 71-year-old patient who came for a routine gynecological examination. Imaging of the pelvis revealed the presence of a two-chambered cystic formation in the anatomical position of the right ovary. It was decided to investigate the disease by laparotomy. Examination of the frozen section from the site of the cystic lesion was negative for malignancy. An abdominal total hysterectomy was performed with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Serous carcinoma of the fallopian tube was diagnosed postoperatively by histological examination of the surgical preparation. Immediately after surgery, the patient’s health was good.The patient was referred to an oncology center and was monitored. Chemotherapy based on platinum and taxane was recommended. Six months after the operation the patient is in good health. The possibility of a second surgery to treat fallopian tube cancer with pelvic lymph node dissectionis under discussion and is expected to be decided by oncologists and gynecologists-oncologists. In this article, after describing the case report, a brief review of this rare entity disease’s diagnostic and therapeutic approach is attempted.

Lymphadenectomy in Primary Fallopian Tube Cancer is Associated with Improved Survival

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Primary fallopian tube cancer (PFTC) shares the same diagnostic and management guidelines with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The LION trail raised concerns regarding the role of systematic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy during debulking surgery. We aimed to evaluate the significance of lymphadenectomy in PFTC survival.

METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed the clinical features and survival of patients with PFTC who underwent primary surgery in our center between January 2013 and October 2020.

RESULTS

Sixty-one patients diagnosed with PFTC were included in the study. Twenty-five (41.0%, 25/61) were diagnosed with FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stages I/II and 36 (59.0%, 36/61) were diagnosed with stage III/IV. Twenty-nine (47.5%, 29/61) underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy with or without para-aortic lymphadenectomy, among which 12 (41.4%, 12/29) had lymph node metastasis confirmed by postoperative pathology. The mean progression-free survival was 60.4 months in the lymphadenectomy group and 37.8 months in the no-lymphadenectomy group (p = 0.042, HR 0.374, 95% CI 0.145-0.966).

CONCLUSIONS

PFTC is often diagnosed earlier and has a better prognosis than EOC. Most patients with PFTC would benefit from lymphadenectomy. However, the extent to which this association translates to a more diverse population needs to be further identified.

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

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the clinical profile and prognosis of primary Fallopian tube cancer (PFTC) in order to improve earlier diagnosis.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, 57 women with PFTC were assessed from 2006 to 2016. Pathology, clinical index, recurrence, and survival were analyzed.

RESULTS

Mean age was 57.35 ± 9.01 years, and 73% (19/26) of the patients with early-stage PFTC (I/II) were aged less than 60 years. Of patients who presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding, 75% (9/12) were at an early stage and their condition was often misdiagnosed as endometrial carcinoma preoperatively. In patients with Stages I/II and Stages III/IV PFTC, 59.09% (13/22) and 96.43% (27/28), respectively, had adnexal masses on color Doppler ultrasonography. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival rates were 69.23% and 44.23%, respectively, and univariate analysis showed that tumor stage and residual tumor size significantly affected the two survival rates.

CONCLUSION

Primary Fallopian tube cancer is more likely to be misdiagnosed in patients aged less than 60 years or those presenting with vaginal bleeding at the premenopausal stage. Magnetic resonance imaging, cervical smear, and endometrial brush may be helpful for early PFTC diagnosis. Satisfactory cytoreductive surgery is critical because tumor stage and residual tumor size are significantly associated with the OS rate.

Oncologic outcomes in patients undergoing maximal or optimal cytoreductive surgery for Stage 3C serous ovarian, tubal or peritoneal carcinomas

The aim of this study was to evaluate overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with Stage 3C serous ovarian, tubal and peritoneal carcinomas. A retrospective analysis of 111 patients who underwent maximal or optimal cytoreductive surgery was performed. Patients were divided into three groups as ovarian cancer (n = 47), tubal cancer (n = 24) and peritoneal cancer (n = 40). Median follow-up was 30 months. There was no significant difference in DFS and OS among the groups. Complete cytoreduction was an independent prognostic factor for DFS in all groups (HR 2.3, 95% CI 1.14-4.93; p=.020). Positive peritoneal cytology (HR 2.2, 95% CI 1.02-4.78; p=.044), and retroperitoneal lymph node involvement (HR 2.3, 95% CI1.11-4.89; p=.025) were independent risk factors for decreased OS, and extended cytoreduction (HR 2.7, 95% CI 1.05-6.99; p=.039) were independent risk factors for increased OS. In conclusion, these malignancies should be considered a single entity during treatment.IMPACT STATEMENTWhat is already known on this subject? Epithelial ovarian cancer is the second most common gynaecological cancer in women worldwide. There are different histological types including ovarian, tubal and peritoneal carcinomas in which malignant cells form in the tissue covering the ovary or lining the fallopian tube of peritoneum. Recent data have supported the view that these malignancies should be considered a single entity and should be treated the same way.What the results of this study add? In the present study, we evaluated overall survival and disease-free survival of patients with Stage 3C ovarian, tubal and peritoneal cancer undergoing maximal or optimal cytoreductive surgery. We found similar oncologic outcomes in all patient groups. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to compare oncologic outcomes of these similar and often confused malignancies in the literature. We, therefore, believe that the present study provides additional information to the body of knowledge on this topic.What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? This study is important, as it indicates similar oncologic outcomes in patients undergoing maximal or optimal cytoreductive surgery for Stage 3C ovarian, tubal and peritoneal cancer. Based on these findings, clinicians should keep in mind that these malignancies should be considered a single clinical entity and be treated the same way. We believe that our study would pave the way for further studies regarding this subject.

Lymphatic Invasion in the Fallopian Tube is a Late Event in the Progression of Pelvic Serous Carcinoma and Correlates With Distant Metastasis

The majority of extrauterine high-grade serous carcinomas are believed to arise in the fallopian tube as serous tubal intraepithelial carcinomas. The primary mode of metastasis is intraperitoneal, and patients usually present with peritoneal carcinomatosis. Although the tubes have a rich lymphatic network, tubal lymphatic invasion is observed in only a minority of cases. Fallopian tube sections from 222 patients with advanced stage high-grade extrauterine serous carcinoma were reviewed and lymphatic invasion within the lamina propria and myosalpinx were assessed. Seventeen patients were FIGO stage II, 162 stage III, and 43 stage IV. Tubal lymphatic invasion was identified in 44 cases (19.7%). Among the cases with lymphatic invasion, nonfimbrial lamina propria, fimbrial lamina propria, and myosalpingeal lymphatic invasion were present in 23 (52%), 21 (48%), and 21 (48%), respectively. Among cases with lymphatic invasion, 16 (36%) were FIGO stage IV, while among cases without lymphatic invasion, 27 (15%) were stage IV (P=0.0014, χ). In summary, in women with advanced stage high-grade extrauterine serous carcinoma, lymphatic invasion in the fallopian tube is uncommon, and is more than twice as likely to be associated with distant metastases as compared with those without tubal lymphatic invasion.

Clinicopathologic features and BRCA mutations in primary fallopian tube cancer in Japanese women

Objective

The present study aimed to clarify the clinicopathological features, including the level of p53 protein expression and BRCA mutations, of primary fallopian tube cancer (PFTC) in Japanese women.

Methods

A multicenter clinical survey was conducted at three Japanese institutions. Clinical data in patients with PFTC between 1998 and 2016 were collected. Immunohistochemical staining of p53 and BRCA mutation analysis by exome sequence using paraffin-embedded surgical resected specimens were performed.

Results

A total of 40 patients with PFTC were enrolled in the study. The median age was 58 years (range: 38-78 years); 31 patients were menopausal. Thirty-four (85.0%) patients were diagnosed with serous adenocarcinoma (high grade, 33; low grade, 1). PFTC was classified into ampulla type, fimbriae type and undeterminable type by tumor-occupying lesion; ampulla type and fimbriae type occurred with the same frequency. Among 30 patients with high-grade serous adenocarcinoma, 6 patients showed germline mutations of BRCA1 (stop-gain 4 and frameshift deletion 2) and 2 patients showed germline mutation of BRCA2 (stop-gain 1 and frameshift deletion 1). However, only 1 patient had familial history of breast or ovarian cancer. Patients with BRCA mutations in the germline were frequently observed in ampulla type and FIGO stage I/II cancers, but no significant difference in the frequency of p53 overexpression and overall survival was observed.

Conclusions

Among Japanese patients with PFTC, 26.7% presented with BRCA mutations in the germline. Additionally, p53 was important for the carcinogenesis in fallopian tubes, independent of the specific BRCA mutation.