Salpingectomy as a means to reduce ovarian cancer risk

Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2015 May;8(5):342-8. doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-14-0293. Epub 2015 Jan 13.

Abstract

Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) has become the standard-of-care for risk reduction in women at hereditary risk of ovarian cancer. Although this procedure significantly decreases both the incidence of and mortality from ovarian cancer, it affects quality of life, and the premature cessation of ovarian function may have long-term health hazards. Recent advances in our understanding of the molecular pathways of ovarian cancer point to the fallopian tube epithelium as the origin of most high-grade serous cancers (HGSC). This evolving appreciation of the role of the fallopian tube in HGSC has led to the consideration of salpingectomy alone as an option for risk management, especially in premenopausal women. In addition, it is postulated that bilateral salpingectomy with ovarian retention (BSOR), may have a public health benefit for women undergoing benign gynecologic surgery. In this review, we provide the rationale for salpingectomy as an ovarian cancer risk reduction strategy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial
  • Elective Surgical Procedures / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / epidemiology
  • Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / prevention & control*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Prophylactic Surgical Procedures* / statistics & numerical data
  • Risk Factors
  • Risk Reduction Behavior
  • Salpingectomy / statistics & numerical data*