Preventing Ovarian Cancer Through Opportunistic Salpingectomy at the Time of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Summary

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and cost-effectiveness of opportunistic salpingectomy (OS-the removal of the fallopian tubes) at the time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (the removal of the gallbladder) to prevent ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality in females in Canada. OS can prevent the most common and lethal type of ovarian cancer, high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC). OS during gynecologic surgery (hysterectomy or instead of tubal ligation) is safe and effective. However, rates of hysterectomies and tubal sterilization are decreasing. This research team aims to extend the prevention of ovarian cancer by expanding to offer OS during other surgeries in the abdomen, when patients are already undergoing a surgical procedure. This study will examine: 1) the feasibility of OS at the time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy; 2) the safety of OS at the time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy; 3) any health services consequences of offering OBS during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

The hypothesis is that OS at the time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a feasible, safe, and cost-effective primary prevention strategy for ovarian cancer. It is also hypothesized that there will be 10-20 minutes of additional operating room time for completing OS, and that integrating the identified partners and knowledge users, as well as adding relevant knowledge users as the project progresses, will affect the rapid mobilization of our findings.

Conditions

• Salpingectomy
• Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Bilateral salpingectomy

Removal of both fallopian tubes.

PROCEDURE

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Removing the gallbladder as indicated by the attending surgeon

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• Canadian Cancer Society (CCS)

  collaborator OTHER

• University of British Columbia

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Gillian Hanley, PhD · University of British Columbia

• Heather Stuart, MD · University of British Columbia

• Scott Cowie, MD · University of British Columbia

• Pablo Serrano, MD · McMaster University

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

35 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-07-01

Primary Completion

2029-01-31

Completion

2029-03-02

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations