Experts Recommend Fallopian Tube Removal for Women at High Risk of Ovarian Cancer.
Samantha Carlucci, 26, asserts, “Knowledge is power.” The Ravena, New York, resident believes her recent hysterectomy, which included removal of her fallopian tubes, saved her life.
Numerous cases of ovarian cancer have been linked to the fallopian tubes, and experts recommend that more women consider having them removed to reduce their cancer risk.
According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 20,000 women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the United States in 2022, and nearly 13,000 died.
According to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, experts have not discovered a reliable screening test to detect the early stages of ovarian cancer, so they rely on symptom awareness to diagnose patients.
Unfortunately, ovarian cancer symptoms frequently do not manifest until the disease has progressed, resulting in the disease going undetected and undiagnosed until a later stage.
Dr. Oliver Dorigo, director of the division of gynecologic oncology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Stanford University Medical Center, stated, “If we had an early detection test for ovarian cancer, the prognosis for patients would be significantly improved.”
Researchers and advocates propose opportunistic salpingectomy until a widely available test is developed.
For women with a high risk of ovarian cancer, salpingectomy, the surgical removal of both fallopian tubes, may be an effective treatment option.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, genetic mutations, endometriosis, and a family history of ovarian or breast cancer can increase this risk.
According to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, approximately 70% of ovarian cancer begins in the fallopian tubes.
Doctors are now advising more high-risk women to undergo a salpingectomy if they accept that they won’t be able to conceive after the procedure and if they are already scheduled for pelvic surgery, making the procedure “opportunistic.”
Dr. Karen Lu, professor and chair of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center, stated, “We are really talking about situations in which a surgeon would already be in the abdomen,” such as during a hysterectomy.
According to Dorigo, fallopian tubes are typically four to five inches long and about half an inch thick.
During an opportunistic salpingectomy, both tubes are separated from the uterus and from a thin layer of tissue that extends from the uterus to the ovary along their length.
The procedure can be performed either laparoscopically, with a thin instrument and a small incision, or openly, with a large incision across the abdomen.
Dorigo stated that the procedure adds approximately 15 minutes to any pelvic surgery.
In contrast to a total hysterectomy, which involves the removal of a woman’s uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes, the removal of the tubes alone has no effect on the menstrual cycle and does not initiate menopause.
Additionally, the risks associated with an opportunistic salpingectomy are minimal.
“Every operation carries risk… “Therefore, you should never enter surgery without being thoughtful,” said Lu.
I would say that the risk of a salpingectomy for someone who is already undergoing surgery is minimal.
It can provide such relief
According to numerous women who have undergone the procedure, the benefits significantly outweigh the risks.
Carlucci had her fallopian tubes removed in January as part of a total hysterectomy after testing positive for Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition that increased her risk of multiple types of cancer, including ovarian cancer.
She stated that the deaths of several family members due to colon and ovarian cancer prompted her to investigate the available options.
The knowledge that she could opt for an opportunistic salpingectomy, which drastically reduced her risk of ovarian cancer, gave her hope.
As a result of the total hysterectomy, her risk of ovarian cancer was eliminated.
“You cannot change your DNA, and no amount of dieting, exercise, or medication will change it,” Carlucci said. “I felt terrible.”
It was a pleasant surprise to learn that this would prevent me from ever having to deal with ovarian cancer.
Carlucci urges all women with a moderate to high risk of ovarian cancer to discuss the procedure with their doctor.
“I understand that it seems frightening, but you should at least consider doing this,” she said.
“Knowing that you made the decision to keep you here for as long as possible can bring so much relief.”
Monica Monfre Scantlebury, 45, of St. Paul, Minnesota, underwent a salpingectomy in March 2021 after observing a family member pass away from breast and ovarian cancer.
At the age of 27, Scantlebury’s sister was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer in 2018.
Scantbury stated, “She ultimately fought breast cancer.” In March of 2020, at the onset of the pandemic, she lost her battle with breast cancer at the age of 29.
During this time, Scantlebury discovered she was positive for BRCA1, a gene mutation that increases the risk of breast cancer by 45 to 85 percent and the risk of ovarian cancer by 39 to 46 percent.
After discussing her options with her doctor, she decided to undergo a salpingectomy.
Her physician informed her that during the procedure, she would remove the fallopian tubes and anything else of concern.
“When I awoke from surgery, she informed me that she had removed my left ovary and fallopian tubes because there was something in my left ovary,” Scantlebury explained.
A week later, her doctor informed her that there were cancer cells in her left fallopian tube.
The doctor said the salpingectomy had saved her life.
Scantlebury, who underwent a full hysterectomy, stated, “We do not have an easy way to diagnose cancer until it is almost too late.”
This has saved my life and potentially given me decades I would have otherwise lost.
Consider your family tree.
Audra Moran, president and chief executive officer of the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, wants women to understand their risk.
Moran believes that more lives would be saved if more women were aware of their ovarian cancer risk.
“Explore your family tree. Is there a history of ovarian, breast, colorectal, or uterine cancer in your family? Whichever side, male or female, parent?” Moran said.
If the answer is affirmative, I recommend consulting a physician or genetic counselor.
The alliance’s website contains resources for genetic testing.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a genetic counselor evaluates the cancer risk associated with inherited conditions.
Carlucci and Scantlebury concur that understanding risk is essential for preventing female deaths.
“This is my tale. It is her tale. It is my sister’s tale… “It is for all women,” stated Scantlebury.
Experts Recommend Fallopian Tube Removal for Women at High Risk of Ovarian Cancer.
