FALLOPIAN TUBE CANCER (con't)
Overview of Fallopian Tube Cancer:
Primary fallopian tube cancers are extremely rare. Less than 1500-2000 cases have been reported worldwide. The diagnosis of fallopian tube cancer requires the determination that the cancer began in the fallopian tube rather than in another site (usually the ovary or endometrium). It is much more common for cancer to spread to a fallopian tube somewhere else. Because of fallopian tube cancer’s similarity to ovarian cancer, it is treated like ovarian cancer.
Types of Fallopian Tube Cancer:
- Adenocarcinomas are the most commonly found cell types which is the same as one of the common types of cancer of the ovary. Thus if the cancer has spread beyond the fallopian tubes, it can be difficult to determine whether the cancer originated in the ovaries or the fallopian tubes.
Other types include:
- Leiomyosarcomas of the fallopian tube
- Transitional cell carcinomas of the fallopian tube
- Serous borderline tumor of the fallopian tube
- Endometrioid fallopian tube cancer
- Mixed mullerian cancer of the fallopian tube
Stages of Fallopian Tube Cancer:
Stage I
Stage I (stage 1) fallopian tube cancer is one in which the cancer is limited to the fallopian tubes.
Stage II
Stage II (stage 2) fallopian tube cancer is one in which the cancer involves one or both fallopian tubes with extension to the pelvis (area below the navel).
Stage III
Stage III (stage 3) fallopian tube cancer is one in which the involves one or both fallopian tubes with spread outside the pelvis.
Stage IV
Stage IV (stage 4) fallopian tube cancer involves involving one or more fallopian tubes with spread to distant organs
Grades of Fallopian Tube Cancer:
Grade indicates how quickly or slowly cancer cells grow. The grade is determined by the appearance of the cells under the microscope. Tumors are graded on a scale of 1 to 3.
Grade 1 - cells look most like normal tissue (called well differentiated). Grade 1 cancers grow and spread somewhat slowly.
Grade 2 - cells look somewhat like normal tissue (called moderately well differentiated). Grade 2 cancers grow and spread quickly.
Grade 3 - cells appear very abnormal (called poorly differentiated or undifferentiated). Grade 3 cancers grow and spread very quickly. They are considered "aggressive."
