A prevention strategy involving the removal of fallopian tubes during routine gynaecological surgery was associated with a 78% reduction in the risk of the most common and deadly form of ovarian cancer, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC).
The approach, known as opportunistic salpingectomy (OS), involves proactively removing the fallopian tubes when a patient is already undergoing procedures such as hysterectomy or tubal ligation. The strategy was developed after research indicated that most ovarian cancers originate in the fallopian tubes rather than the ovaries. OS leaves the ovaries intact, preserving hormone production and minimising side effects.
British Columbia became the first jurisdiction globally to offer OS in 2010. The new study, led by the Ovarian Cancer Observatory collaboration, analysed population-based health data from more than 85,000 people who underwent gynaecological surgeries in the province between 2008 and 2020. Researchers compared rates of serous ovarian cancer, the most common and lethal subtype, between those who had OS and those who did not.
Results indicated that individuals who underwent OS were significantly less likely to develop serous ovarian cancer. In rare cases where cancer occurred after the procedure, tumours appeared to be less biologically aggressive. These findings were supported by pathology data from laboratories worldwide.
Ovarian cancer remains the most lethal gynaecological cancer, with no reliable screening test currently available. Since 2010, approximately 80% of relevant procedures in British Columbia now include fallopian tube removal, and medical organisations in 24 countries recommend OS as a prevention strategy.
Source: Medical Xpress / University of British Columbia (JAMA Network Open, 2026)
