Removal of the Fallopian tubes reduces the risk of ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is a cancer affecting one or both ovaries. It often develops in one of the two Fallopian tubes. Removing the Fallopian tubes means that malignant cells can no longer develop there.
What is the risk of developing ovarian cancer?
Approximately 13 in 1000 women in the Netherlands develop ovarian cancer. This means that few women will develop ovarian cancer, but the consequences are often severe.
Most women who develop ovarian cancer will develop this between the ages of 55 and 80 years. In the early stages, ovarian cancer often causes very few symptoms or only vague symptoms. As a result, the disease is only discovered once it has already spread in 75 out of 100 women. 70 out of 100 women with ovarian cancer die within 5 years.
What effect does removal of the Fallopian tubes have?
Research shows that the risk of ovarian cancer is reduced when the Fallopian tubes are removed. The risk decreases from 13 in 1000 women to 5 in 1000 women. However, as ovarian cancer can also develop in other ways, a small risk of ovarian cancer still remains.
Once the Fallopian tubes have been removed, the ovaries are no longer connected to the womb. You can no longer become pregnant. Therefore, you should only opt for removal if you are certain that you do not want to have children anymore.