Abstract 2226: Intraoperative harvesting of human fallopian tubes for cytodiagnostic and pathobiological studies

Abstract Background: Fallopian tube intraepithelial cancer is a potential precursor of high-grade, sporadic and familial, pelvic carcinomas. Materials and Methods: Using a protocol for rapid intraoperative cytology (IC), fallopian tube fimbrial epithelium (FTFE) was harvested from 24 women (age: 40-80) undergoing surgery for non-neoplastic (N = 14, leiomyomas, adenomyosis, ovarian and paraovarian serous cysts, endometriosis) and neoplastic (N = 10, serous and endometrioid carcinomas with tubal involvement) lesions. Under IRB-approved protocol, eight cytological imprints were obtained from each fimbria and stained intraoperatively by Diff-Quik® and Papanicolaou for general morphology, by Trypan blue to assess cell viability and by rapid immunohistochemistry for evaluation of cytokeratin (CAM 5.2), Ki67 (MIB-1) p53 and high motility group protein (HMGA2) expression. Results: Tubal imprints yielded 0.5-1 x106, cytokeratin-positive and > 85% viable cells/patient with a 2:1 distribution of ciliated: mucous cells dispersed within a proteinaceous material of variable density with rare microcalcifications; reactive fibroblasts and mesothelial cells represented < 3% of cell harvests with the highest percentage seen in endometriosis and malignancies. Malignant fimbrial imprints (8 serous and 2 endometrioid carcinomas) exhibited diffuse accumulation of p53 and HMGA2, a Ki67 proliferation index of 50-70% and displayed diagnostic malignant criteria in all cases. Conclusions: Tubal harvest and intraoperative cytology of fallopian tubes allows for: a) rapid evaluation of tubal cancer, currently viewed as the main source of high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas; and b) triaging of cellular material for basic and translational studies including molecular cancer pathobiology and biomarker discovery. The technique will also provide a useful diagnostic adjunct to emerging in vivo high-resolution optical technologies. (Supported by Ovarian Cancer Research Fund). Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2226. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2226