Opportunistic Salpingectomy: A Potential Preventive Tool in Ovarian Cancer?

By: Noah Levine
Posted: Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Research highlights the potential for prevention of ovarian cancer through opportunistic salpingectomy—the removal of the fallopian tubes during abdominal surgery. In a recent cost-effectiveness modeling study, conducted by by Kather et al, of the University Hospital Jena in Germany, showed the potential benefits of wider adoption of this procedure.

Published in PLOS Medicine, the study examined the impact of implementing opportunistic salpingectomy procedures during both gynecologic and nongynecologic abdominal surgeries. “Implementing opportunistic salpingectomy across all eligible abdominal surgeries results in a pronounced increase in clinical effectiveness compared to the current strategy,” the investigators noted.

Using a state transition model, the researchers simulated outcomes for 1.2 million women over their lifetimes. The simulated outcomes showed a 15.3% reduction in ovarian cancer cases when opportunistic salpingectomy was performed during any abdominal surgery, a 9.8% reduction if opportunistic salpingectomy is performed during gynecologic surgeries, and a 5.5% reduction if it is performed only during hysterectomy or sterilization procedures. The statistical model also demonstrated the cost-effectiveness of the strategy with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of –€8,685.50 (approximately $8,957 U.S. dollars) per quality-adjusted life year gained when opportunistic salpingectomy was performed during any abdominal surgery.

The investigators noted that to implement more widespread opportunistic salpingectomy, there will need to be interdisciplinary collaboration, so surgeons performing nongynecologic procedures are trained to perform salpingectomy, and policy changes will be necessary to support coverage of the costs of the procedures. Additionally, the study authors highlighted the importance of properly educating patients to ensure informed decision-making regarding opportunistic salpingectomy for individuals undergoing elective abdominal surgery.

Disclosure: For full disclosures of the other study authors, visit journals.plos.org.

PLOS Medicine

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