Systematic lymphadenectomy improves survival in patients with advanced-stage primary fallopian tube cancer.
Primary fallopian tube cancer (PFTC) is a rare tumor (< 1% of all female genital tract cancers) and remains poorly characterized. Histologically and clinically, PFTC resembles epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The similarities in pathological features and patterns of spread between EOC and PFTC have led clinicians to treat these two malignancies in a similar manner. However, these malignancies may be biologically distinct and may follow different clinical courses. Lymphadenectomy is of crucial importance in patients with EOC, because it improves disease-free survival even in advanced stages. The lymph node metastasis is relatively frequent even in early-stage PFTC. We therefore hypothesized that lymphadenectomy could improve the prognosis in PFTC, as observed in EOC. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prognostic role of lymphadenectomy in PFTC with a special focus on advanced-stage PFTC. The medical records of 18 patients treated in a single institute from April 1997 to August 2004 were reviewed retrospectively. For advanced stages (III and IV, 10 patients), mean overall survival for patients with positive lymph node involvement is 62.00 +/- 4.00 months, while the patients with negative lymph node involvement were alive at last follow-up performed in July 2008 (log-rank; P < 0.05). Furthermore, the mean disease-free survival for patients with positive lymph node involvement is 46.67 +/- 5.14 months. Based on our analysis, lymphadenectomy could improve overall survival and disease-free survival in patients with advanced-stage PFTC.
Kim
Yong Man
YM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
Jung
Min Hyung
MH
Kim
Dae-Yeon
DY
Kim
Jong Hyeok
JH
Kim
Young Tak
YT
Nam
Joo Hyun
JH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005185:Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome