MUCOSAL EPITHELIAL PROLIFERATION OF THE FALLOPIAN-TUBE - A PARTICULARASSOCIATION WITH OVARIAN SEROUS TUMOR OF LOW MALIGNANT POTENTIAL

The presence or absence of tubal mucosal epithelial proliferation (MEP ) and its degree of severity when present were investigated in 191 cas es, including 49 ovarian serous tumors of low malignant potential (LMP ), 33 non-serous (predominantly mucinous) LMP tumors, various other be nign and invasive malignant female genital tract lesions, and 37 cases (73 fallopian tubes) of tubal ligation for sterilization. MEP includi ng all degrees of severity was found to be an almost ubiquitous (83% o f all cases) lesion of no clinical significance. On the other hand, ME P of moderate or marked degree was rarely seen (3% of cases) in normal tubes obtained for sterilization, but was identified in from 25% to > 40% of tubes accompanying a wide variety of nonneoplastic and neoplast ic lesions, Thus, we recommend that only moderate to marked MEP be con sidered as a diagnosable lesion in the future. There was no tendency i n this material for MEP to show any specific association with ovarian serous LMP tumors, as was previously reported. However, when MEP was p resent, it was more likely to be widespread and mitotically active whe n it accompanied an ovarian LMP tumor of any histologic type than when it was found with benign ovarian lesions, invasive gynecologic cancer s, uterine leiomyomas, or tubal inflammatory lesions and ectopic pregn ancies.