What is fallopian tube cancer?

Diseases that affect only less than few of the population include a female cancer of the reproductive system. One of these infrequent disorders is the fallopian tube cancer or tubal cancer. This article provides you with an overview of fallopian tube cancer.

Definition

Fallopian tube cancer involves the growth of cancer cells in the fallopian tubes, the passage way of the eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. It can be classified into two. Classification Primary carcinoma of the fallopian tube is one of the undiagnosed and uncommon form of diseases affecting females, while secondary carcinoma of the fallopian tube is due to the metastasis of cancer of the ovaries, uterus and other reproductive organs.

Causes

Since this type of cancer rarely occurs, physicians cannot conclude on a definite etiology. However, they often correlate this occurrence with genetics and female hormones, the same factors that cause other gynaecological diseases. Risk factors include women aged form 50 to 66 years old and women with a strong family history of such disease. Gynaecologists strongly relate the occurrence of this disease to the alteration of the BRCA genes. It is a classical type of mutation that is proven as a direct correlation to primary fallopian tube cancer. Furthermore, an interplay of the female hormones causes many of the gynaecologic cancers, including carcinoma of the fallopian tube.

Symptoms

Complaints from women having this type of carcinoma are synonymous to the symptoms of other carcinomas of the female reproductive organs. These are as follows: - Vaginal bleeding, often occurring even after menopause - Abnormal vaginal discharges, usually whitish to pinkish in colour - Pain or tenderness over the abdomen, characterised as dull and heavy - Mass over the pelvic area, often noted in the later stage of the disease

Management

Medical management Oncologists and gynaecologic oncologists follow the same treatment regimen when treating this type of carcinoma. Due to few occurrence, no direct treatment has been proven to work until today.
Surgery This is an invasive procedure done to remove the fallopian tube or the mass in the fallopian duct. It is the common management of carcinomas of the female reproductive system. When the cancer cells have invaded the nearby organs, oophorectomy (removal of ovaries) or hysterectomy (removal of uterus) may be done.
Chemotherapy After surgery, chemotherapy is an adjunct management or a collaborative option. However, oncologists often pair it with surgery to achieve the goal of treatment depending on the extent of affectation to patients.