Clinical and cytologic aspects of primary fallopian tube carcinoma. A report of ten cases.

The clinical and cytologic findings in ten cases of primary fallopian tube carcinoma, a very rare malignancy, are presented. All ten patients had vaginal pool (V), cervical (C), endocervical (E) and endometrial aspiration (EA) smears examined preoperatively; peritoneal smears were also prepared from cul-de-sac fluid aspirated during surgery. In the preoperative cytodiagnosis, some of V, C, E and EA smears were positive for malignant cells in six of the ten patients (60%). Examination of the EA smear was the most effective means of discovering this disease. A watery discharge was noted in two patients, both of whom were negative in the preoperative cytodiagnosis. In such patients, it is necessary to repeat the smear examinations. The cytologic appearance of this disease is contrasted to that of endometrial carcinoma.