Life-saving surgery: Fallopian tube removal reduces cancer risk by 80%
A recent study revealed that a simple surgical step performed during routine gynecologic procedures could reduce a woman’s risk of ovarian cancer.
According to a study published in JAMA Network Open, proactively removing the fallopian tubes, a procedure called opportunistic salpingectomy — during hysterectomy or tubal ligation minimised the chances of developing ovarian cancer by nearly 80%.
For the study, scientists assessed health data from nearly 86,000 patients in British Columbia who underwent these surgeries between 2008-2020.
Co-senior researcher Gillian Hanley of the University of British Columbia stated, “This study clearly demonstrates that removing the fallopian tubes as an add-on during routine surgery can help prevent the most lethal type of ovarian cancer.”
“It shows how this relatively simple change in surgical practice can have a profound and life-saving impact.”
Ovarian cancer is one of the most common cause of cancer-related deaths among women, with the American Cancer Society projecting over 21,000 new U.S. cases and about 12,450 deaths this year, raising concerns among everyone.
Due to the unavailability of screening tests, many cases are diagnosed at advanced stages, significantly contributing to five-year survival rates below 50%.
Moreover, the study showed that patients who had already removed their fallopian tubes were at a 78% reduced risk of developing aggressive serous ovarian cancer, while preserving ovarian hormone function.
Introduced in British Columbia in 2010, the approach is now used in nearly 80% of related operations there.
Scientists hope broader adoption could assist prevent thousands of future ovarian cancer cases and deaths.
