Occult cancer of the fallopian tube in a BRCA2 germline mutation carrier at prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy

A R McEwen; D T McConnell; D N Kenwright; D J Gaskell; A Cherry; A M J Kidd

doi:10.1016/j.ygyno.2003.12.003

Occult cancer of the fallopian tube in a BRCA2 germline mutation carrier at prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy

Gynecol Oncol. 2004 Mar;92(3):992-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2003.12.003.

Authors

A R McEwen¹, D T McConnell, D N Kenwright, D J Gaskell, A Cherry, A M J Kidd

Affiliation

¹ Central Regional Genetic Services, Wellington Hospital, Wellington South, New Zealand. alison.mcewen@ccdhb.org.nz

PMID: 14984974
DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2003.12.003

Abstract

Background: Women with a germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation have a significantly increased risk of developing ovarian cancer compared with women in the general population and may consider bilateral prophylactic oophorectomy as a risk-reducing option.

Case: We report a case of occult fallopian tube cancer diagnosed at prophylactic surgery in a patient with a BRCA2 mutation.

Conclusions: This report acts as a reminder of the importance of removing as much of the fallopian tube as possible during prophylactic surgery in BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers and of the need for careful pathological examination of surgical specimens after surgery.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / genetics*
Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / surgery
Female
Genes, BRCA2*
Germ-Line Mutation*
Humans
Middle Aged
Ovariectomy
Pedigree