title: Fallopian tube origin of supposed ovarian high-grade serous carcinomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serous carcinomas are the most frequent histologic type of ovarian and peritoneal cancers, and can also be detected in the endometrium and fallopian tubes. Serous carcinomas are usually high-grade neoplasms when diagnosed, yet the identification of an associated precursor lesion remains challenging. Pathological examination of specimens obtained from prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomies that were performed for patients harboring BRCA1/2 mutations suggests that high-grade serous carcinomas may arise in the fallopian tubes rather than in the ovaries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the presence and extent of fallopian tube involvement in cases of serous pelvic carcinomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four cases of serous pelvic carcinoma with clinical presentations suggesting an ovarian origin were analyzed retrospectively. Histologic samples of fallopian tube tissues were available for these cases and were analyzed. Probable primary site, type of tubal involvement, tissues involved in the neoplasia and vascular involvement were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fallopian tube involvement was observed in 24/34 (70.6%) cases. In 4 (11.8%) of these cases, an intraepithelial neoplasia was present, and therefore these cases were hypothesized to be primary from fallopian tubes. For an additional 7/34 (20.6%) cases, a fallopian tube origin was considered a possible primary.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fallopian tubes can be the primary site for a subset of pelvic high-grade serous carcinomas.
authors: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo.
authors: Patricia Martini
authors: PM
authors: Diniz
authors: Jesus Paula
authors: JP
authors: Carvalho
authors: Edmund Chada
authors: EC
authors: Baracat
authors: Filomena M
authors: FM
authors: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005185:Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D024522:Genes, BRCA2; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult