CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF 16 CASES OF PRIMARY TUBAL MALIGNANCY

Sixteen cases of primary carcinoma of the fallopian tube were diagnose d and treated at Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong from July 1972 to June 1992 constituting 0.26% of the total gynecologic malignancies seen du ring that period. The average age was 61 years and the most common pre senting symptom was abnormal vaginal bleeding. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult; in only one case was a diagnosis of malignancy made by c ervical smear. An adnexal mass was detected in 13 of the cases (81.3%) either by clinical examination and/or ultrasonography. Therapy consis ted of surgical resection, usually followed by various combinations of adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The cumulative survival was 62%. In addition to the typical form of adenocarcinoma, one case o f squamous cell carcinoma and a case of multifocal endometrioid adenoc arcinoma were observed. One case of an apparently usual form of adenoc arcinoma recurred as a heterologous malignant mixed Mullerian tumor 2 years after diagnosis. This series further emphasises the wide range o f differentiation possible in the Mullerian system and the variety of neoplasms which may arise from it.