Fallopian Tube Epithelial Changes in Ovarian Serous Tumors Compared with Control Group: A Single-Center Study

Recent studies have hypothesized that distal end of fallopian tube is a possible origin of ovarian serous carcinoma. This study investigated histopathological changes in fallopian tube epithelium (FTE) of the patients with ovarian serous tumors compared with control group.

In a prospective cross-sectional study, fallopian tubes (right and left) of 34 cases with ovarian serous tumors were collected from patients who underwent surgery in two major gynecological centers affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran (2012-2015). They are composed of 21 (61.8%) high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSCs), 5 (14.7%) borderline ones, and 8 (23.5%) benign serous tumors. As control group, fallopian tubes of 72 hystrectomy cases without ovarian tumor were added to the study. Both tubes of all of the cases were submitted entirely, according to the protocol of sectioning and extensively examining the fimbriated end. The results were statistically analyzed using SPSS-PC windows and Chi-square tests.

Significant differences were found between the cases and control group in tubal epithelial cell stratification (especially >3 cell layers thickness), atypia, mitosis, glandular complexity, tufting, and detached epithelial cells (P < 0.05). These findings particularly atypia and mitosis were more frequently seen in the ampulla and fimbriated end of high-grade ovarian serous carcinomas.

Our results showed that premalignant epithelial changes of the ampulla and the distal end of FTE were seen in some of the patients with ovarian HGSCs. Therefore, FTE could be one of the sources of ovarian serous carcinoma.