More physicians are calling for fallopian tube removal to prevent ovarian cancer
By Zeina Mohammed — Boston GlobeFeb. 23, 2023
Ovarian cancer has long been one of the deadliest cancers to strike women.
No tests are available to detect it early, so most patients are diagnosed in later stages, when the cancer is more likely to have spread. Fewer than half of women survive 5 years past their diagnosis, and 80 percent have no known risk factors.
Now, a growing chorus of physicians is recommending a procedure that can significantly reduce the chances of developing ovarian cancer. The procedure is called a salpingectomy — or removal of the fallopian tubes, where the majority of ovarian cancer cases begin.
The operation, advocates say, is short, relatively simple, and safe.
Some surgeons already offer salpingectomies to women who are done with childbearing and are undergoing other procedures, such as tubal ligation for permanent birth control, the removal of cysts or fibroids, or a hysterectomy. Researchers are now exploring whether to offer the surgery more widely.