Abstract
Background : Primary fallopian tube carcinoma is considered a relatively rare tumor arising in the female genital tract. We report herein on a case of non-invasive adenocarcinoma in the bilateral fallopian tubes occurring after tubal ligation, which was preoperatively detected only by endometrial cytology.
Case : A 57-year-old postmenopausal woman, gravida 2 para 2, presented with abnormal genital bleeding. Endometrial cytology revealed atypical glandular cells detected though endometrial biopsy and MRI did not show any evidence of a malignant tumor in the pelvis.
A hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy were undertaken under the suspected diagnosis of minute carcinoma in the genital tracts. Grossly, we found a tumor of 3 mm in diameter in the left tube. Microscopically serous non-invasive adenocarcinoma was observed in both fallopian tubes.
Conclusion : Serous adenocarcinoma tumor cells are easily released from the primary focus. Even after tubal ligation, tumor cells can pass through the recanalized fallopian tube. Our results indicate that tubal serous adenocarcinoma cells can be successfully detected with endometrial cytology.
