Diagnostic Tests
Due to the difficulty of viewing inside the fallopian tubes, diagnosing this cancer can be difficult. Your physician may perform one or more of the following:
- Blood tests to measure for cancer antigen 125 (CA-125), a tumor marker
- Laboratory tests to look for cancer cells in cervical and vaginal fluids and to examine tissue biopsies from the uterus.
- Imaging tests such as ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) scans to detect masses.
Occasionally, a laparoscopy (minimally invasive surgery) will be performed to view the affected area.
Staging
A process known as staging is used to determine whether the cancer has spread and if so, to what extent. Staging helps to determine the best course of treatment.
Stages of fallopian tube cancer are:
- Stage I: The tumor is limited to the fallopian tubes
- Stage II: The cancer has spread outside the fallopian tubes to the pelvic area.
- Stage III: The cancer includes peritoneal implants outside of the pelvis, and/or spread to the lymph nodes.
- Stage IV: The cancer has spread distantly to other organs such as the liver.
Read more about Fallopian Tube Cancer
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