Mucinous metaplasia of the fallopian tube: a diagnostic pitfall mimicking metastasis

• Published in: International journal of gynecological pathology Vol. 30; no. 1; p. 36
• Main Authors: Wong, Anna K, Seidman, Jeffrey D, Barbuto, Denise A, McPhaul, Laron W, Silva, Elvio G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.2011
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous - secondary; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous - surgery; Adult; Aged; Appendiceal Neoplasms - pathology; Appendiceal Neoplasms - surgery; Diagnosis, Differential; Fallopian Tube Neoplasms - secondary; Fallopian Tube Neoplasms - surgery; Fallopian Tubes - pathology; Fallopian Tubes - surgery; Female; Humans; Inflammation - pathology; Inflammation - surgery; Metaplasia - pathology; Metaplasia - surgery; Middle Aged; Mucins; Neoplasm Staging; Ovarian Neoplasms - pathology; Ovarian Neoplasms - surgery; Retrospective Studies; Salpingectomy
• ISSN: 1538-7151
• DOI: 10.1097/PGP.0b013e3181f45f28

Interpretation of the mucinous change in the fallopian tubes has been difficult because several reports consider this mucinous change as a metastasis from a mucinous tumor. To clarify this issue, we decided to retrospectively review salpingectomies from 3 institutions looking for mucinous change in the fallopian tubes and documented the clinical history of these patients. Twenty-three cases of fallopian tubes with mucinous changes were found, including 11 patients without evidence of malignancy, 4 patients with mucinous ovarian tumors, 5 patients with nonmucinous gynecologic tumors, 2 patients with mucinous appendiceal neoplasm, and 1 patient with colon carcinoma. As mucinous changes are seen in several patients who do not have a malignant tumor, we believe that these changes represent a metaplastic process. The mucinous changes are frequently seen with chronic inflammation and/or other metaplastic changes and without cytologic evidence of malignancy.