Recent research has shown that most, if not all, high grade serous ovarian cancers originate in the fallopian tubes. With no pronounced symptoms or tests to catch it early, ovarian cancer is usually detected in women with an average risk of cancer and in highly advanced stages. In this video, gynecologic oncologist, Rebecca Stone discusses the salpingectomy procedure, removal of the fallopian tubes, that is effective at preventing the most common form of ovarian cancer.
Hello. I'm Rebecca Stone, the division director of gynecologic oncology for johns Hopkins. I've dedicated my life to taking care of people with ovarian cancer And I would do absolutely anything to prevent it from taking. There's ovarian cancer is one of the most difficult disease is to diagnose and treat 1 to 2% of women are affected in their lifetime. The most lethal type high grade serious is by far and large the most common because there is no effective screening. The vast majority of those affected have widely metastatic disease at symptom onset and die within five years. Efforts to develop screening for ovarian cancer have failed. For one key reason its exact origin has eluded us for more than a century. We've been looking in the wrong place. Data gathered over the past 20 years indicate that the majority of cases arise from tiny pre cancers in the ends of the fallopian tubes rather than from the ovary itself. This discovery now makes it possible to significantly reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by removing the fallopian tubes. For those who are done having Children self inject a me or fallopian tube removal takes minutes to perform is low risk and the post reproductive fallopian tube has no known form or function. This is in contrast to the ovaries which likely maintain endocrine function well after menopause. All should know about the option of ovarian cancer prevention through fallopian tube removal at the time of hysterectomy or as an alternative to tubal ligation. What about surgeries beyond the gynecologic. Oh are hundreds of thousands of women plan and undergo non gynecologic surgery in their post reproductive years like gall bladder removal and Hurney repair. These could be our additional windows of opportunity for ovarian cancer prevention through self inject a me think how many lives we could save if we could make this an option for all eligible patients, not just those having a hysterectomy or surgical contraception, but other common abdominal surgeries as well. Likely thousands every year. That we could reduce the risk of a lethal cancer affecting one in 78 women by removing a structure the fallopian tube that has no post reproductive value. With a simple change in surgical practice is a game changer. Thanks to funding from breakthrough cancer. I care along and our colleagues here at johns Hopkins. Sloan Kettering. MD Anderson, the dana Farber and M. I. T. R. Boldly leading a mission to do just this. We have embarked on a multi institutional endeavor to bring ovarian cancer prevention through self appendectomy to all eligible people. Those who have completed childbearing and those who have no known genetic risk. Our success will depend on unprecedented revolutionary collaboration between gynecologic and non gynecologic surgeons. It makes sense for something so transformative in the surgical field to start here at johns Hopkins After at all. It is a birthplace of modern surgery and our shared commitment to raising the standards of surgical science and practice is a time honored tradition. Stay tuned for updates on our progress here and on our soon available website. all about what you and we can do together to save lives through ovarian cancer prevention.
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