What is fallopian tube cancer?

Fallopian tube cancer starts in your fallopian tubes, which are the tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. Most fallopian tube cancers begin in the same kind of tissue and act a lot like ovarian cancer and primary peritoneal cancer. Doctors diagnose, treat, and manage these cancers in similar ways.

Fallopian tube cancer can be treated if it is found early and surgery removes all the cancer cells. The problem with this cancer is that it usually does not cause symptoms at first, and it grows fast. Most people are not diagnosed until the cancer is more advanced and harder to treat.

What are the symptoms of fallopian tube cancer?

Symptoms of fallopian tube cancer can be mild and easy to miss, especially in the beginning. You might only notice symptoms once the cancer has spread in your belly.

Symptoms and signs of fallopian tube cancer include:

Pelvic mass or pain.
Abdominal swelling, pain, or bloating.
Decreased appetite, fullness after eating a little food or nausea.
Changes in your bowel habits, such as constipation or diarrhea.
Frequent urination (frequent urination).
Unusual periods or postmenopausal bleeding.
Watery or bloody discharge from the vagina.

Your doctor should be visited whenever there is a change in your health, particularly if there is a family history of cancer or risk factors.

What causes fallopian tube cancer?

No one knows what causes fallopian tube cancer, but they know that 90% of the time, it starts in the cells that cover your organs. These are the same kind of cells where most ovarian cancers begin. Most ovarian and fallopian tube tumors are called high-grade serous tumors, which means they grow very quickly.

The other fallopian tube cancers start in the tissue that connects and supports your organs.

What are the risk factors of fallopian tube cancer?

Risk factors for having a greater chance of developing fallopian tube cancer are:

Age: Over half of individuals with fallopian tube cancer or ovarian cancer are above the age of 63.
Ethnicity: Individuals residing in North America or those with Northern European or Ashkenazi Jewish ethnicity have a higher chance of developing fallopian tube cancer.
Family history: Your risk is higher if you have a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who's had breast cancer, ovarian cancer or fallopian tube cancer.
Genetic changes: Changes to the breast cancer (BRCA) gene raise your risk.
Health conditions: Some inherited conditions like Lynch syndrome and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome raise the risk of fallopian tube cancer. Endometriosis is also a risk factor.
Pregnancy and childbirth history: You’re more likely to develop fallopian tube cancer if you’ve never been pregnant or if you had your first full-term pregnancy past age 35.
Menstrual cycle history: Getting your first period before age 12 and going through menopause after age 51 are both risk factors.
Obesity: Having a body mass index (BMI) above 30 can increase your risk, especially if you were overweight when you were younger.

How is fallopian tube cancer diagnosed?

Fallopian tube cancer usually does not cause symptoms early on, so it often spreads before you know it. You might not realize anything is wrong until a doctor finds a lump during a pelvic exam.

Your doctor will probably do one or more of these tests to find out more about your condition:

Blood tests: A blood test for CA-125 finds the level of cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) in your blood. If you have fallopian tube cancer, you may have elevated levels of CA-125. But you might have high levels due to reasons other than a diagnosis of fallopian tube cancer, particularly if you're perimenopausal.
Imaging tests: You may have a transvaginal ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, or PET scan. These scans take pictures of your ovaries and fallopian tubes and can show tumors and cysts.

To diagnose, your doctor needs to take a sample of fluid or tissue so a specialist can check for cancer cells in a lab. The procedures include:

Exploratory surgery: Surgery lets your doctor look directly at your organs to check for tissue that looks abnormal. They can remove all or part of your fallopian tubes, ovaries, and nearby lymph nodes to be tested. Types of surgery include open surgery, minimally invasive surgery, or robotic surgery.
Paracentesis: Your doctor uses a needle to draw off a sample of fluid that's accumulated in your abdomen (ascites) to test it.
Biopsy: A biopsy is when a sample of tissue from a tumor is taken to test. This is usually done with the help of an ultrasound or CT scan.

How is fallopian tube cancer staged?

Imaging tests and procedures that remove and check tissue help doctors figure out the stage of fallopian tube cancer. Staging shows where the cancer is and how far it has spread. This helps your doctor plan treatment and estimate your outlook.

Fallopian tube cancer stages are:

Stage 1: Cancer involves one fallopian tube or both.
Stage 2: Cancer involves one fallopian tube or both and surrounding tissues in your pelvis.
Stage 3: Cancer has spread beyond your pelvis to lymph nodes or organs near them.
Stage 4: Cancer has spread to your liver or other distant organs such as your lungs or brain.

You will also hear your doctor refer to your cancer as:

Local: Haven't spread beyond your fallopian tubes.
Regional: Has spread to nearby abdominal organs or lymph nodes.
Distant: Has spread to distant organs.

Your doctor is able to explain these diagnoses and the implications for your overall health.

How is fallopian tube cancer treated?

Your treatment will depend on the stage of your cancer. Treatments are:

Surgery: Surgery to find out if you have fallopian tube cancer is sometimes also the first step in treatment. Most people have surgery to remove their uterus, both fallopian tubes, and ovaries. You might have other organs removed too, to help you live longer and feel better. Depending on your age and diagnosis, your doctor might be able to remove just the tumor, so you could still have children.
Chemotherapy: You might need chemotherapy to shrink the tumor before the operation or kill the remaining cancer cells after the operation. Providers sometimes administer chemotherapy treatment during operation to enable more intense chemotherapy medications in your belly. This is referred to as heated (hyperthermic) intraoperative peritoneal chemotherapy.
Targeted therapy: Targeted therapy Targeted therapy: Targeted therapy stops the growth of some cancer cells without hurting normal cells much. Your doctor might give you these medicines if you have a BRCA gene change. cells that have a certain genetic mutation (like Lynch syndrome), your doctor might think about immunotherapy medicines.
Clinical trials: Your doctor might encourage you to participate in a study to test new, promising cancer treatments.
Palliative care: Palliative care can help you manage cancer symptoms and side effects from treatment.

What can I expect if I have fallopian tube cancer?

About 80% of people have no signs or symptoms of fallopian tube cancer after treatment. Early-stage cancers come back 25% of the time. Advanced cancers come back as much as 80% of the time.

You’ll need to see your healthcare provider regularly, especially within the first five years, to check for recurrent cancer. You’ll likely need lifelong checkups if you were treated for advanced cancer.

Discuss any new symptoms you're having with your provider during these visits. As well as doing their best to keep you cancer-free, your healthcare provider may be able to provide resources and counseling to assist you with managing persistent side effects or find support groups for individuals living with a cancer diagnosis.

How can I avoid getting fallopian tube cancer?

If you have a history of breast, ovarian or fallopian tube cancer in your family, your doctor might order a BRCA test. The test can indicate whether you carry a BRCA mutation or syndrome that raises your risk of gynecologic cancers.

If you have the gene change, having your ovaries and fallopian tubes removed can lower your cancer risk by up to 96%. This is a preventive surgery.

To lower your risk of fallopian tube cancer, you can also:

Opt for hormonal birth control methods, like the pill or an implant. (But if you have a BRCA gene mutation, discuss with your provider what is best for you. These methods might raise breast cancer risk in some individuals.)
Get a tubal ligation or removal of your fallopian tubes.
Employ non-hormonal treatments to control menopause symptoms.
Cut down on the amount of alcohol you drink and give up smoking if you do.
Follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly.
Work towards achieving a healthy weight.
Breastfeeding, if it is possible.

When should I contact my doctor?

You should contact your doctor if you have:

A mass or lump in your pelvic region.
Severe pelvic, back or stomach pain that disrupts sleep or activity.
Unexplained loss of weight.
Unusual vaginal discharge.

Why choose Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital for Fallopian Tube Cancer treatment in Lucknow, India?

Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital offers advanced Fallopian Tube Cancer treatment in Lucknow, India, at an affordable cost. We have a team of experienced gynecologic oncologists and cancer specialists, known as some of the best doctors for women’s cancer care. We provide accurate diagnosis with advanced imaging and biopsy tests, personalized treatment including surgery, chemotherapy, and supportive care, and comprehensive follow-up. Our Gyne Oncologists team has decades of experience in successfully treating Fallopian Tube Cancer in Lucknow, India.