Primary carcinoma of the fallopian tube

Carcinoma of the fallopian tube is the least common of the gynecologic malignancies. Because of its rarity and the absence of typical symptoms, preoperative diagnosis is seldom made. Patient as well as physician delay in diagnosis is often considerable. There are no reliable laboratory aids available to enhance the discovery of this tumor. However, routine periodic pelvic examinations with laparoscopic examination of any significant adnexal enlargement in postmenopausal women should decrease the discovery time. Certainly, unexplained vaginal discharge or bleeding particularly when associated with a pelvic mass, should increase one's suspicion. Conventional surgical treatment can be curative if the tumor has not exceeded the confines of the tube and has not involved the serosa. Regardless, the prognosis for patients with primary carcinoma of the fallopian tube is grim.