RARE DISEASE
Malignant tumor of fallopian tubes
Malignant tumor of fallopian tubes
Malignant tumor of fallopian tubes
Synonyms: Cancer of fallopian tubes, Malignant tubal tumor, Tubal cancer
Synonyms: Cancer of fallopian tubes, Malignant tubal tumor, Tubal cancer
Synonyms: Cancer of fallopian tubes, Malignant tubal tumor, Tubal cancer
Drug discovery
5
drugs
With orphan designations
Overview
Malignant tumor of the fallopian tubes is a rare gynecologic cancer, accounting for 1%-2% of female reproductive malignancies [3][7][16]. Most cases are high-grade serous carcinomas, often linked to BRCA1/2 mutations [1][4][8]. Treatment involves surgical cytoreduction (hysterectomy/salpingo-oophorectomy) and platinum-taxane chemotherapy, with emerging roles for PARP inhibitors and anti-angiogenic agents in advanced cases [1][2][17].
Therapies
Surgery: Primary cytoreduction (total hysterectomy/bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy ± omentectomy/lymphadenectomy) [2][17][18]
Chemotherapy: Platinum-paclitaxel regimens (IV or intraperitoneal) for adjuvant/neoadjuvant treatment [1][2][6]
Targeted therapy: PARP inhibitors (olaparib/niraparib) for BRCA+ cases; bevacizumab for recurrent/metastatic disease [1][6][17]
Categories: rare gynecological and obstetric diseases, rare neoplastic diseases
Research Papers
552 drug discovery papers related to Malignant tumor of fallopian tubes, with 4 first-in-class and 7 next-in-class early-stage therapies forecasted to outperform the average preclinical success rate. Recent publications:
552 drug discovery papers related to Malignant tumor of fallopian tubes, with 4 first-in-class and 7 next-in-class early-stage therapies forecasted to outperform the average preclinical success rate. Recent publications:
2026-06-27 | Evaluating homologous recombination status and the efficacy/safety of PARP inhibitors in advanced epithelial ovarianl cancer: A single-institute preliminary experience.
Evaluating homologous recombination (HR) status is essential for determining the efficacy of PARP inhibitors (PARPi) in advanced epithelial ovarian, tubal, and peritoneal cancers. However, data from Taiwan remains limited. This study reports preliminary findings on HR status evaluation and PARPi treatment outcomes. We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with advanced epithelial ovarian, tubal, and peritoneal cancer at a single institute between January 2021 and January 2024. HR status was assessed using ACT or Sofiva Genomics under the CareHRD Project in Taiwan. The safety and efficacy of PARPi were evaluated, and Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses identified factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS). Among 128 patients, 30 (23.4%) were BRCAm, 28 (21.9%) were HRd/BRCAwt, 31 (24.2%) were HRp, and 39 (30.5%) had unknown HR/BRCAwt status. A total of 43 patients received PARPi (29 BRCAm, 12 HRd/BRCAwt, 1 HRp, 1 unknown HR/BRCAwt). Full-dose PARPi was initiated in 32 patients (74.4%), with 22 (51.2%) requiring dose adjustments. At a median follow-up of 25.5 months, PARPi maintenance significantly improved PFS, with median PFS not reached versus 12.2 months in non-users (HR 0.332, 95% CI 0.184-0.589). Three-year PFS was 57.2% vs 22.2%. In the HRd-positive subgroup, PARPi use also prolonged PFS (p= 0.006), with multivariate analysis confirming a 74% reduction in progression risk (HR 0.256, 95% CI 0.085-0.771). The HRd rate in this Taiwanese cohort aligns with existing literature. PARPi significantly improved survival in HRd patients, but adverse events necessitate careful hematological monitoring for treatment sustainability.
2026-06-20 | Occult invasive and preneoplastic lesions at risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy in BRCA1/2 carriers: A multicenter retrospective cohort study.
To evaluate the prevalence and spectrum of occult invasive or preneoplastic lesions detected at risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) in BRCA1/2 carriers and to describe recurrent BRCA variants in a regional multicenter cohort. This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 291 women with documented germline pathogenic BRCA1/2 alterations who underwent RRSO at three referral centers in Apulia, Italy, between 2020 and 2025. The primary endpoint was occult invasive or microinvasive tubo-ovarian malignancy at final histopathology. Secondary endpoints included serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC), the distribution of histopathologic findings, distribution according to BRCA group, and recurrent annotated BRCA variants. After excluding one patient with ovarian metastasis, occult invasive or microinvasive tubo-ovarian malignancy was identified in 24/290 patients (8.3%), while STICs were identified in 5/290 (1.7%). STIL was observed in 3/291 patients (1.0%). Overall, 29/290 patients (10.0%; 95% confidence interval 7.1-14.0) met the composite endpoint of occult invasive or microinvasive primary tubo-ovarian malignancy or STIC. Among pathogenic variant carriers, the prevalence of the same endpoint was 20/159 (12.6%) in BRCA1 carriers and 9/131 (6.9%) in BRCA2 carriers (p = 0.119). Specific BRCA mutation was available for 154/291 patients (52.9%); BRCA1 c.5266dupC was the most frequent recurrent annotated variant, accounting for 43/154 (27.9%) annotated variants overall and 43/81 (53.1%) annotated BRCA1 variants. In this multicenter BRCA1/2 cohort, occult invasive or microinvasive primary tubo-ovarian malignancy and STIC were identified in approximately one in ten women undergoing RRSO. Most positive cases represented occult invasive or microinvasive malignancy, and BRCA1 c.5266dupC emerged as the dominant recurrent regional variant.
2026-05-28 | A single-arm, phase 2 study of neoadjuvant mirvetuximab soravtansine and carboplatin for FRα-expressing advanced-stage serous epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer (M25-231; NCT06890338; GOG-3115).
TPS5633 Background: Folate receptor alpha (FRα) has limited expression on normal tissues but is highly expressed in most high-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancers (EOC), making it an attractive therapeutic target. Mirvetuximab soravtansine (MIRV), an antibody-drug conjugate targeting FRα, has demonstrated efficacy and manageable safety in recurrent, FRα-expressing EOC when used as monotherapy. Additionally, a phase 1b/2 study (IMGN853-0402) of MIRV + carboplatin showed promising clinical activity in patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer who had tumor recurrence after platinum-based chemotherapy. The safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant MIRV + carboplatin in newly diagnosed, advanced-stage FRα-expressing high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) remains unknown. Methods: This single-arm phase 2 trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of MIRV + carboplatin in newly diagnosed patients with advanced-stage (Stage III/IV), FRα-expressing (≥75% tumor cells with ≥2+ membrane intensity per the VENTANA FOLR1 (FOLR1-2.1) RxDx Assay [Roche Diagnostics]) HGSOC. Approximately 140 patients (aged ≥18 years) will be enrolled; 5 patients were enrolled as of January 23, 2026. Patients will receive ≤6 cycles of MIRV (6 mg/kg adjusted ideal body weight) and carboplatin (AUC 5) intravenously every three weeks before interval debulking surgery (IDS), with a total of ≤9 cycles pre- and post-IDS. IDS suitability will be evaluated radiologically, and all eligible patients, including those with progressive disease (PD), will undergo IDS after Cycle 3 Day 1. IDS-ineligible patients may receive ≤3 additional cycles and undergo repeat imaging to assess IDS suitability. Patients with complete response (CR), partial response (PR), or stable disease will resume MIRV + carboplatin 3–6 weeks post-IDS following radiologic assessment. At the treating physician’s discretion, bevacizumab may be added post-IDS and standard-of-care maintenance therapy may begin ≥21 days after MIRV + carboplatin ± bevacizumab completion. Imaging will occur every 9 weeks after IDS (for those who undergo IDS) or last radiologic tumor assessment (for those who do not) until 1 year from the first dose of study treatment and then every 12 weeks until PD, death, or withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint is objective response (OR), defined as best overall response of radiographic CR or PR assessed by Independent Central Review (ICR) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors v1.1 prior to initiation of subsequent anticancer therapy (including IDS). Secondary endpoints include OR by investigator (INV), disease control by ICR and INV, IDS, extent of cytoreduction at the time of IDS, cancer antigen 125 response, progression-free survival by INV, and patient-reported outcomes (NFOSI-18). Clinical trial information: NCT06890338 .
2026-06-27 | Evaluating homologous recombination status and the efficacy/safety of PARP inhibitors in advanced epithelial ovarianl cancer: A single-institute preliminary experience.
Evaluating homologous recombination (HR) status is essential for determining the efficacy of PARP inhibitors (PARPi) in advanced epithelial ovarian, tubal, and peritoneal cancers. However, data from Taiwan remains limited. This study reports preliminary findings on HR status evaluation and PARPi treatment outcomes. We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with advanced epithelial ovarian, tubal, and peritoneal cancer at a single institute between January 2021 and January 2024. HR status was assessed using ACT or Sofiva Genomics under the CareHRD Project in Taiwan. The safety and efficacy of PARPi were evaluated, and Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses identified factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS). Among 128 patients, 30 (23.4%) were BRCAm, 28 (21.9%) were HRd/BRCAwt, 31 (24.2%) were HRp, and 39 (30.5%) had unknown HR/BRCAwt status. A total of 43 patients received PARPi (29 BRCAm, 12 HRd/BRCAwt, 1 HRp, 1 unknown HR/BRCAwt). Full-dose PARPi was initiated in 32 patients (74.4%), with 22 (51.2%) requiring dose adjustments. At a median follow-up of 25.5 months, PARPi maintenance significantly improved PFS, with median PFS not reached versus 12.2 months in non-users (HR 0.332, 95% CI 0.184-0.589). Three-year PFS was 57.2% vs 22.2%. In the HRd-positive subgroup, PARPi use also prolonged PFS (p= 0.006), with multivariate analysis confirming a 74% reduction in progression risk (HR 0.256, 95% CI 0.085-0.771). The HRd rate in this Taiwanese cohort aligns with existing literature. PARPi significantly improved survival in HRd patients, but adverse events necessitate careful hematological monitoring for treatment sustainability.
2026-06-20 | Occult invasive and preneoplastic lesions at risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy in BRCA1/2 carriers: A multicenter retrospective cohort study.
To evaluate the prevalence and spectrum of occult invasive or preneoplastic lesions detected at risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) in BRCA1/2 carriers and to describe recurrent BRCA variants in a regional multicenter cohort. This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 291 women with documented germline pathogenic BRCA1/2 alterations who underwent RRSO at three referral centers in Apulia, Italy, between 2020 and 2025. The primary endpoint was occult invasive or microinvasive tubo-ovarian malignancy at final histopathology. Secondary endpoints included serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC), the distribution of histopathologic findings, distribution according to BRCA group, and recurrent annotated BRCA variants. After excluding one patient with ovarian metastasis, occult invasive or microinvasive tubo-ovarian malignancy was identified in 24/290 patients (8.3%), while STICs were identified in 5/290 (1.7%). STIL was observed in 3/291 patients (1.0%). Overall, 29/290 patients (10.0%; 95% confidence interval 7.1-14.0) met the composite endpoint of occult invasive or microinvasive primary tubo-ovarian malignancy or STIC. Among pathogenic variant carriers, the prevalence of the same endpoint was 20/159 (12.6%) in BRCA1 carriers and 9/131 (6.9%) in BRCA2 carriers (p = 0.119). Specific BRCA mutation was available for 154/291 patients (52.9%); BRCA1 c.5266dupC was the most frequent recurrent annotated variant, accounting for 43/154 (27.9%) annotated variants overall and 43/81 (53.1%) annotated BRCA1 variants. In this multicenter BRCA1/2 cohort, occult invasive or microinvasive primary tubo-ovarian malignancy and STIC were identified in approximately one in ten women undergoing RRSO. Most positive cases represented occult invasive or microinvasive malignancy, and BRCA1 c.5266dupC emerged as the dominant recurrent regional variant.
2026-05-28 | A single-arm, phase 2 study of neoadjuvant mirvetuximab soravtansine and carboplatin for FRα-expressing advanced-stage serous epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer (M25-231; NCT06890338; GOG-3115).
TPS5633 Background: Folate receptor alpha (FRα) has limited expression on normal tissues but is highly expressed in most high-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancers (EOC), making it an attractive therapeutic target. Mirvetuximab soravtansine (MIRV), an antibody-drug conjugate targeting FRα, has demonstrated efficacy and manageable safety in recurrent, FRα-expressing EOC when used as monotherapy. Additionally, a phase 1b/2 study (IMGN853-0402) of MIRV + carboplatin showed promising clinical activity in patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer who had tumor recurrence after platinum-based chemotherapy. The safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant MIRV + carboplatin in newly diagnosed, advanced-stage FRα-expressing high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) remains unknown. Methods: This single-arm phase 2 trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of MIRV + carboplatin in newly diagnosed patients with advanced-stage (Stage III/IV), FRα-expressing (≥75% tumor cells with ≥2+ membrane intensity per the VENTANA FOLR1 (FOLR1-2.1) RxDx Assay [Roche Diagnostics]) HGSOC. Approximately 140 patients (aged ≥18 years) will be enrolled; 5 patients were enrolled as of January 23, 2026. Patients will receive ≤6 cycles of MIRV (6 mg/kg adjusted ideal body weight) and carboplatin (AUC 5) intravenously every three weeks before interval debulking surgery (IDS), with a total of ≤9 cycles pre- and post-IDS. IDS suitability will be evaluated radiologically, and all eligible patients, including those with progressive disease (PD), will undergo IDS after Cycle 3 Day 1. IDS-ineligible patients may receive ≤3 additional cycles and undergo repeat imaging to assess IDS suitability. Patients with complete response (CR), partial response (PR), or stable disease will resume MIRV + carboplatin 3–6 weeks post-IDS following radiologic assessment. At the treating physician’s discretion, bevacizumab may be added post-IDS and standard-of-care maintenance therapy may begin ≥21 days after MIRV + carboplatin ± bevacizumab completion. Imaging will occur every 9 weeks after IDS (for those who undergo IDS) or last radiologic tumor assessment (for those who do not) until 1 year from the first dose of study treatment and then every 12 weeks until PD, death, or withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint is objective response (OR), defined as best overall response of radiographic CR or PR assessed by Independent Central Review (ICR) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors v1.1 prior to initiation of subsequent anticancer therapy (including IDS). Secondary endpoints include OR by investigator (INV), disease control by ICR and INV, IDS, extent of cytoreduction at the time of IDS, cancer antigen 125 response, progression-free survival by INV, and patient-reported outcomes (NFOSI-18). Clinical trial information: NCT06890338 .
Access all drug discovery articles and probability of success in trials forecasts:
Access all drug discovery articles and probability of success in trials forecasts:
Drug Discovery Landscape
5 orphan drug designations for Malignant tumor of fallopian tubes, including 2 approved therapies.
5 orphan drug designations for Malignant tumor of fallopian tubes, including 2 approved therapies.
Drug | Therapy type | Regulator | Orphan designation | Approval | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
olaparib [Lynparza] | small molecules | FDA | 2018-05-15 | 2017-08-17 | AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP |
pelareorep | gene therapies | FDA | 2015-02-24 | — | Oncolytics Biotech, Inc. |
bevacizumab [Avastin] | antibodies | FDA | 2010-11-23 | 2014-11-14 | Genentech, Inc. |
patupilone | small molecules | FDA | 2010-02-02 | — | Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation |
Patupilone | small molecules | EMA | 2009-11-05 | — | Novartis Europharm Limited |
Let's accelerate rare disease drug discovery
Let's accelerate drug discovery
Get access to Explority AI's forecasts to outperform average preclinical success rates. Whether you're expanding your R&D pipeline, evaluating a partnership, or simply have a question — we'd love to hear from you.