Prognosis and survival for fallopian tube cancer

If you have fallopian tube cancer, you may have questions about your prognosis. A prognosis is the doctor’s best estimate of how cancer will affect someone and how it will respond to treatment. Prognosis and survival depend on many factors. Only a doctor familiar with your medical history, the type and stage and other features of your cancer, the treatments chosen and the response to treatment can put all of this information together with survival statistics to arrive at a prognosis.

A prognostic factor is an aspect of the cancer or a characteristic of the person (such as whether they smoke) that the doctor will consider when making a prognosis. A predictive factor influences how a cancer will respond to a certain treatment. Prognostic and predictive factors are often discussed together. They both play a part in deciding on a treatment plan and a prognosis.

The following are prognostic and predictive factors for fallopian tube cancer.

The stage of the cancer is the most important prognostic factor for fallopian tube cancer. Women diagnosed with early stage fallopian tube cancer have a better prognosis than women diagnosed with cancer at a later stage.

If cancer cells are found in fluid that has built up in the abdomen (called ascites) or the washings of the peritoneum taken during surgery, the prognosis is poorer.

Some types of fallopian tube cancer have a better prognosis. The characteristics of a particular type of tumour often relate to the grade or stage of the tumour.

The grade of the cancer is an important prognostic factor for fallopian tube cancer. Low-grade tumours are associated with a better prognosis than high-grade tumours.

The amount of cancer that remains after surgery is called residual disease. Women who have no residual disease have a better prognosis than women who have cancer remaining after surgery.

Younger women who have fallopian tube cancer have a better prognosis than older women.