FALLOPIAN-TUBE CANCER - INCIDENCE AND ROLE OF LYMPHATIC SPREAD

Lymphatic spread pattern in 17 cases of adenocarcinoma of fallopian tu be is reported. Median age of the patients was 48 years. All patients underwent surgical staging including total abdominal hysterectomy, bil ateral salpingo-oopherectomy omentectomy, and appendectomy. Systematic pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy was feasible in 15 cases. Major ity of the patients (11 of 17 cases, 64%) had advanced disease and sho wed serous adenocarcinoma (83%). Lymph nodes were involved in 10 of 17 cases (59%). Node metastases rate increased significantly (P < 0.01) with intraperitoneal stage of disease and with grading. Interestingly, positive nodes were also found in 2 cases (33%) of 6 patients with di sease still limited to fallopian tube. Overall, patients with negative nodes had a median survival of 76 months, compared with only 33 month s if node metastases were found, In conclusion, combined pelvic and pa ra-aortic lymphadenectomy seems to be necessary for staging and perhap s for prognosis of this disease. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.