It is an abnormal growth of malignant cells (neoplasm, tumor) in one or both of a woman's fallopian tubes. The fallopian tubes are a pair of skinny ducts that transport a woman's eggs (ova) from her ovaries (where they are housed) to her uterus (aka "womb", where they are either fertilized by male sperm or discarded during menstruation). Typically, an egg is released from one of the ovaries into the adjacent fallopian tube once each month during ovulation, which occurs in reproductive-age women. The tube helps to move the egg along its journey to the uterus with small hair-like projections called cilia that line the tube's insides.
The tubes are named after a famous Italian physician named Gabriele Fallopio (1523–1562), who first described them.
What are the different types of fallopian tube cancer?
The vast majority (>95%) of fallopian tube cancers are papillary serous adenocarcinomas. Very occasionally, these tumors can be sarcomas (leiomyosarcomas) or transitional cell carcinomas.