By the time women find out they have ovarian cancer, it is often very advanced. This makes it hard to treat. But there is a way you can reduce your risk.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that some women have their fallopian tubes removed. Taking out both tubes if you are not planning to get pregnant can cut your risk of ovarian cancer by up to 78 percent, according to the organization.
This can be done during a hysterectomy, hernia repair, or another surgery. The American Cancer Society expects that about 12,450 American women will die of ovarian cancer this year.
Stephanie V. Blank, MD
“Removing fallopian tubes can prevent ovarian cancer because we believe that most ovarian cancers start in the tubes,” says Stephanie V. Blank, MD, Director of Gynecologic Oncology for the Mount Sinai Health System and Co-Director of the Center of Excellence for Gynecologic Cancer at the Tisch Cancer Center.
In this Q&A, Dr. Blank discusses who should consider the surgery and why it may make sense.
Who should consider surgery to remove their fallopian tubes, and when?
If you aren’t at increased genetic risk of ovarian cancer, doctors don’t recommend having a procedure just to remove the tubes at this point. But if you aren’t planning to get pregnant and you have another abdominal or pelvic surgery planned, we could remove the tubes then. This is called opportunistic salpingectomy. If you are thinking about having your “tubes tied” to prevent future pregnancies, we may recommend removing both tubes instead. We can do this during any kind of surgery—open, robotic, or laparoscopic. If you are at increased genetic risk of cancer, you should talk to a gynecologic oncologist because that is a different situation.
What are the potential side effects of removing the fallopian tubes?
Removing your fallopian tubes is safe. The most significant side effect is that you won’t be able to get pregnant without medical help. The procedure does not cause menopause. This means it will not give you hot flashes or sleeping problems.
If I have questions about surgery to remove my fallopian tubes, what should I do?
If you are having surgery, ask your surgeon about this. It is a simple and quick addition to a larger procedure. And it can greatly reduce your risk of ovarian cancer.