This Publication Is Searchable The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy Section 18. Gynecology And Obstetrics Chapter 241. Cancer Primary fallopian tube cancer is rare. The average age of patients with this cancer is 50 to 60 yr.
Patients sometimes have a remote history of infertility.
The spread pattern is similar to that of ovarian cancer. Fallopian tube cancer may spread by direct extension, by peritoneal seeding, or through the lymphatics. Symptoms, Signs, and Diagnosis Most patients present with an adnexal mass or vague abdominal or pelvic complaints, such as abdominal discomfort, bloating, or pain. Diagnosis and treatment are surgical. The treatment of choice consists of exploratory laparotomy, total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and surgical staging, which includes washings from the pelvis, abdominal gutters, and diaphragmatic recesses.