Prognostic significance of fallopian tube cytology: A study of 99 endometrial malignancies

The purpose of the study was to relate fallopian tube lavage-cytology (tuba l washings) from patients treated for endometrial malignancies with other r ecognized prognostic factors and also with patient survival. In 99 patients the following prognostic variables were analyzed: patient age, peritoneal washing cytology (PW), endometrial tumor grade, depth of myometrial invasio n, myometrial vascular involvement, cervical stromal infiltration and perit oneal metastases. The association between tubal washings and preoperative h ysteroscopy was also examined. Of the 99 patients with endometrial malignancy, 18 experienced their first tumor recurrence or died from tumor during the follow-up period (median 53 months, range 5-137 months). The remaining 81 patients were disease-free on their last visit or died from unrelated causes. Detailed statistical analy sis revealed a complex inter-relationship between the variables but no inde pendent prognostic significance for tubal washings. Furthermore, the absenc e of any statistical association between hysteroscopy and survival suggests that preoperative hysteroscopy has no deleterious effect. Although the small number of patients in this study limits any definitive c onclusion, the analyzed data suggest that tubal washing cytology plays no u seful role in the current management of patients with endometrial malignanc ies.