- Patients
- Exploring cancer care
- Conditions we treat
- Fallopian tube cancer treatment
Introduction
Fallopian tube cancer treatment at GenesisCare
We specialise in the latest techniques for treating all types of cancer, including fallopian tube cancer. We have teams of gynaecological oncologists and other specialists who are experts in this type of cancer. They work together to evaluate the most up-to-date treatments and procedures so we can offer you the best options without delay.
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Treatment overview
Chapter 1
Treatment overview
Figures show that cancer of the fallopian tube is rare. The fallopian tubes are the narrow tubes that connect your ovaries to your womb.
Treatment typically depends on the size and position of your cancer, whether it’s spread to other parts of your body, and your general health. Diagnosing it early often allows for more treatment options and better outcomes.
As the UK’s leading specialist independent cancer care provider, we offer you first-class treatments that will be managed by a team of specialists in ovarian cancers, including fallopian tube cancer. You can be reassured that they’ll work closely with you to identify the best personalised care plan for your diagnosis.
Fallopian tube cancer treatment is very similar to treatment for ovarian cancer and is usually included in ovarian cancer clinical trials. The main treatments are surgery and chemotherapy, although radiotherapy is sometimes used to treat cancer that has returned or to control symptoms.
To help ensure that the best outcomes are achieved for you, we combine your treatment with personalised integrative cancer care which is proven to improve outcomes. This includes a programme of exercise medicine and access to a wellbeing expert and holistic therapies such as counselling, acupuncture, massage and reflexology through our unique partnership with the Penny Brohn UK charity.
It is our commitment to offer world-class cancer care to all of our patients, to achieve the best outcomes possible.
How is fallopian tube cancer treated?
There are a number of treatment options available for fallopian tube cancer, these include:
- Surgery – this usually involves the removal of the womb, ovaries, fallopian tubes and the omentum. In some women it may be possible to conserve fertility by leaving the womb, unaffected ovary and fallopian tube if you have a low-grade (slow growing), very early-stage cancer.
- Radiotherapy – high-energy radiation beams are precisely delivered to destroy cancer cells while doing as little harm as possible to healthy cells
- Chemotherapy – anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs are used to destroy cancer cells
Contact us
If you have any questions you’d like to ask in confidence, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We’re here to help.
Diagnostics
Chapter 2
Diagnostics
We understand that this may be a very worrying time for you. But please remember that symptoms you may be experiencing can often be caused by other conditions, not only fallopian tube cancer. If you're concerned about fallopian tube cancer symptoms you should speak with your GP.
How is fallopian tube cancer diagnosed?
You may undergo one or more of the following diagnostic tests if you’re showing signs of fallopian tube cancer.
Clinical history taking
A doctor will ask you about your current symptoms that you are experiencing and any relevant history relating to symptoms
Abdominal-pelvic examination
A doctor will press gently on the outside of your abdomen (tummy area) to feel for any lumps or tender areas. They’ll also carry out an internal examination to check if your womb and ovaries feel normal.
CA125 blood test
Fallopian tube cancers often produce chemicals (tumour markers) that show up in a blood test. A raised level of a protein called CA125 in your blood can suggest fallopian tube cancer or ovarian cancer.
Ultrasound scan
You may have an abdominal ultrasound to check the organs inside your abdomen and an internal transvaginal ultrasound to check your reproductive organs.
Paracentesis (body fluid sampling)
This procedure first involves a doctor giving you a local anaesthetic to numb your abdomen. They then pass a small needle through the skin to collect a build-up of fluid called ascites. This sample of fluid is then examined under a microscope for signs of cancer.
Biopsy
A doctor may remove a small sample of tissue from an abnormal area, which is then examined under a microscope for signs of cancer.
Genetic testing
Depending on the type of cancer you have, your doctor may recommend you have a blood test to look for genetic changes that are linked to your cancer.
CT, MRI and PET-CT scans
Your doctor may arrange for you to have a CT scan, MRI scan or PET-CT scan to produce more detailed images of the inside your body. This helps your doctor know where in the fallopian tube the cancer is and check if it’s present in other parts of the body, such as the abdomen, so they’ll be able to recommend the best ways to treat it.
Fallopian tube cancer symptoms
The symptoms for cancer of the fallopian tube are often quite vague, and particularly if the cancer is in its early stages.
Symptoms may include:
- A long-lasting bloated or swollen tummy
- Pain in your lower abdomen area or back
- Needing to urinate urgently or more often than usual
- Feeling full quickly when you eat or a loss of appetite
- Vaginal bleeding not related to your periods or after the menopause or a watery vaginal discharge that may contain blood
- Unexplained weight loss or gain
- Extreme fatigue (feeling very tired)
- A change in your normal bowel habit (diarrhoea or constipation)
Please remember having one or more of the above symptoms doesn’t mean you have fallopian tube cancer. These symptoms may be caused by other conditions. But if you’re concerned, you should speak to your GP to arrange an appointment.
Surgery
Chapter 3
Surgery
Surgery is the main treatment for fallopian tube cancer. Our cancer specialists have close relationships with top surgeons from local and nationally renowned hospitals. They’ll work with them and other gynaecological experts to decide the best course of treatment for you.
If your consultant recommends surgery, this can be arranged conveniently at one of our partner hospitals. You can then continue your other treatments at GenesisCare.
The size and stage of your tumour will determine the most appropriate operation for you. Normally, surgery for fallopian tube cancer involves the removal of the womb, cervix, ovaries, fallopian tubes and omentum (a sheet of fat that hangs within the tummy).
For some low-grade, very early stage cancers (stage 1A), a surgeon may be able to remove your affected ovary and fallopian tube and leave behind your unaffected ovary and fallopian tube. This means for pre-menopausal women, you might be able to become pregnant and have a baby in the future.
In some cases, it may not be possible to remove all visible cancer at initial presentation, if so chemotherapy treatment may be offered before surgery to optimise the chance of removing all visible cancer during surgery.
Drug treatments
Chapter 4
Drug treatments
Chemotherapy for fallopian tube cancer
Chemotherapy uses cytotoxic (anti-cancer) drugs to destroy cancer cells.
Your specialist may recommend you have chemotherapy before surgery to reduce the size of your tumour.
If you’ve had surgery for fallopian tube cancer but all the cancer couldn’t be removed, your consultant is likely to suggest chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy may also be recommended if all your cancer has been successfully removed. This is to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back.
If surgery is not possible (stage 4 widespread disease) or for health reasons, your specialist may suggest chemotherapy as your main treatment.
Targeted therapy for fallopian tube cancer
Targeted (also called biological) therapies are a specialised group of drugs that are designed to attack or block specific processes in cancer cells that tumours depend on to survive and grow. It is typically used if cancer is advanced (stage 4) or come back after treatment.
Palliative care for fallopian tube cancer
If your cancer has spread to other parts of the body, it’s called advanced, metastatic or stage 4 fallopian tube cancer. At GenesisCare, you can receive palliative drug treatment for advanced fallopian tube cancer to reduce the size and progress of your cancer and ease pain and other symptoms.
Personalised medicine for fallopian tube cancer
For some advanced cancers, we use specialist tests, such as liquid biopsy or genomic testing, to understand the genetic make-up of cancer cells. This helps us to identify which drugs are available to work against specific genetic mutations in a cancer, allowing us to start effective treatment without delay.
There may also be opportunities to access clinical trials for the newest treatments for ovarian cancers such as fallopian tube cancer.
Side effects of drug treatment
No treatment is without side effects. Your doctor will explain these to you before you start your course of chemotherapy. They’ll also discuss how your treatment plan and supportive care can help to manage or minimise these side effects.
Radiotherapy
Chapter 5
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses targeted, high-energy radiation beams to destroy cancer cells. It is not used as a first treatment for cancer of the fallopian tube. But it’s sometimes an option for treating fallopian tube cancer that has come back or has spread to other parts of the body.
At GenesisCare, we’re the leading independent provider of radiotherapy in the UK and offer world-class expertise, state-of-the-art facilities and advanced radiotherapy techniques. Our latest-generation radiotherapy machines deliver highly targeted radiation beams with sub-millimetre accuracy, which makes them extremely effective and minimises the radiation dose to healthy tissues.
Our expert multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), consisting of oncologists, radiotherapists, and medical physicists, will oversee your radiotherapy treatment. By working closely together, they will put together a personalised treatment plan for you that ensures you always get the best possible care.
Radiotherapy for fallopian tube cancer
Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is a modern radiotherapy technique that directs beams of radiation in an arc across the treatment area. Together with surface-guided radiotherapy (SGRT), it’s possible to precisely target areas of cancer, adjusting the beam and intensity of the radiation dose to allow for movements in the body and avoid healthy tissues.
Side effects of radiotherapy can occur when healthy tissue receives radiation, so using this technique helps to limit the dose to tissues and organs surrounding the tumour. At GenesisCare, we offer VMAT wherever possible because it is widely recognised to be the highest standard of care currently available for patients needing this type of radiotherapy.
We also offer palliative VMAT radiotherapy for those living with advanced fallopian tube cancer (stage 4). This type of treatment can help to control symptoms such as bleeding, pain and discomfort. We understand that fast access to palliative care is paramount, so we always do our best to provide treatment within 48 hours of a planning imaging scan.
Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) uses very focused high-energy radiation beams to treat tumours in five or fewer sessions, and is often used in place of surgery. If you’ve previously had radiotherapy to the pelvis, your consultant may suggest this as an option. This is because stereotactic treatment is so precise it can often mean re-treatment is possible.
Side effects of radiotherapy
No treatment is without side effects. Your doctor will explain these to you before you start your course of radiotherapy. They’ll also discuss how your treatment plan and supportive care can help to manage or minimise these side effects.
Integrative care
Chapter 6
Integrative care
At GenesisCare, we do more than just treat your cancer. Our integrative approach to cancer care means we develop personalised treatment plans for every one of our patients that offers them access to therapies that are proven to improve outcomes for people diagnosed with cancer. These therapies can play a significant role in helping you manage and cope with your cancer and any side effects caused by your treatment.
Exercise medicine
Research has shown that a personalised programme of carefully planned and supported physical activity can enhance the quality of life of cancer patients, limit the impact of cancer by improving strength and reducing fatigue, and ultimately lead to better outcomes.
One of our physiotherapists specialising in exercise for people living with cancer will provide you with a tailored 12-week programme supported by our dedicated GenesisCare Exercise Medicine app. The physiotherapist will also work closely with you to monitor changes in your health and support you throughout the programme, helping you achieve the best results. This service is available at selected GenesisCare centres.
Wellbeing
Through a unique partnership with the charity Penny Brohn UK, we offer all fallopian tube cancer patients access to a wellbeing expert and holistic therapies either in-person or remotely. The therapies you could benefit from include counselling, acupuncture, massage and reflexology.
Why choose GenesisCare
Why choose us?
GenesisCare is a leading private provider of cancer care, offering the latest innovations and techniques that are proven to be safe and effective. If you choose us for your fallopian tube cancer treatment, you’ll be under the care of a team of experts, including gynaecological oncologists, surgeons and other cancer experts.
They’ll design a personalised care plan based around your diagnosis and preferences, with treatment starting within days, if needed. We also support every patient through their cancer journey with therapies such as exercise medicine and psychological support.
Our dedicated cancer centres are convenient and easy-to-access. You can use your private medical insurance, and we’re recognised by all leading insurers.
We are proud that so many of our patients rate the care they receive from us as “excellent”. Find out more about the high-quality experiences of people who have been diagnosed or treated at a GenesisCare centre in our patient stories section.
Further reading
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