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

Int J Gynecol Pathol. 2011 Jan;30(1):36-40. doi: 10.1097/PGP.0b013e3181f45f28.

Abstract

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.

MeSH terms

  • 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

Substances

  • Mucins