Treatment of fallopian tube cancer - Review of the literature

Objective: To contribute toward the understanding of the therapeutic manage ment of fallopian tube cancer. Methods: Recent studies related to the treat ment of fallopian tube cancer were reviewed. Results: Current evidence indi cates that even patients in early stages have nodal disease, and often expe rience relapses in distant sites. In advanced stages, survival prolongation by the use of platinum-based chemotherapy has been demonstrated. Aggressiv e cytoreductive surgery followed by chemotherapy and negative second-look l aparotomy offer the possibility of long-term survival. However, a significa nt fraction of patients eventually relapses after negative second-look lapa rotomy, and a poor survival rate after positive second-look laparotomy has been observed. Conclusions: This series suggests the need for thorough eval uation of lymph nodes at the time of surgery. The use of platinum-based che motherapy is probably the best adjuvant therapy for both early stages and a dvanced stages. The clinical value of second-look laparotomy will remain li mited until effective salvage therapy is developed. The potential benefits of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the use of paclitaxel will be increasingly important.