Surgical innovation cuts ovarian cancer risk by nearly 80%
New UBC research shows that a simple surgical add-on can dramatically reduce rates of the most lethal gynaecological cancer
A prevention strategy developed by Canadian researchers can reduce the risk of the most common and deadly form of ovarian cancer by nearly 80 per cent, according to a new study published today in JAMA Network Open by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC).
The strategy, known as opportunistic salpingectomy (OS), involves proactively removing a person’s fallopian tubes when they are already undergoing a routine gynaecological surgery such as hysterectomy or tubal ligation, commonly called “having one’s tubes tied”.
The Canadian province of British Columbia (B.C.) became the first jurisdiction in the world to offer OS in 2010, after a team of researchers from UBC, BC Cancer and Vancouver Coastal Health designed the approach when it was discovered that most ovarian cancers originate in the fallopian tubes rather than the ovaries. OS leaves a person’s ovaries intact, preserving important hormone production so there are minimal side effects from the added procedure.
The new study, led by a B.C.-based international collaboration called the Ovarian Cancer Observatory, provides the clearest evidence yet that the Canadian innovation saves lives.
“This study clearly demonstrates that removing the fallopian tubes as an add-on during routine surgery can help prevent the most lethal type of ovarian cancer,” said co-senior author Dr. Gillian Hanley, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at UBC. “It shows how this relatively simple change in surgical practice can have a profound and life-saving impact.”
New hope against a deadly cancer
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynaecological cancer. Approximately 3,100 Canadians are diagnosed with the disease each year and about 2,000 will die from it.
There is currently no reliable screening test for ovarian cancer, meaning that most cases are diagnosed at advanced stages when treatment options are limited and survival rates are low.
The OS approach was initially developed and named by Dr. Dianne Miller, an associate professor emerita at UBC and gynaecologic oncologist with Vancouver Coastal Health and BC Cancer. She co-founded B.C.’s multidisciplinary ovarian cancer research team, OVCARE.
"If there is one thing better than curing cancer it's never getting the cancer in the first place," said Dr. Miller.
The new study is the first to quantify how much OS reduces the risk of serous ovarian cancer—the most common and deadly subtype of the disease. It builds on previous research demonstrating that OS is safe, does not reduce the age of menopause onset, and is cost-effective for health systems.
The study analyzed population-based health data for more than 85,000 people who underwent gynaecological surgeries in B.C. between 2008 and 2020. The researchers compared rates of serous ovarian cancer between those who had OS and those who had similar surgeries but did not undergo the procedure.
Overall, people who had OS were 78 per cent less likely to develop serous ovarian cancer. In the rare cases where ovarian cancer occurred after OS, those cancers were found to be less biologically aggressive. The findings were validated by data collected from pathology laboratories from around the world, which suggested a similar effect.
From B.C. innovation to global impact
Since its introduction in B.C. in 2010, OS has been widely adopted, with approximately 80 per cent of hysterectomies and tubal ligation procedures in the province now including fallopian tube removal.
Globally, professional medical organizations in 24 countries now recommended OS as an ovarian cancer prevention strategy, including the Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Canada, which issued guidance in 2015.
“This is the culmination of more than a decade of work that started here in B.C.,” said co- senior author Dr. David Huntsman, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine and obstetrics and gynaecology at UBC and a distinguished scientist at BC Cancer. “The impact of OS that we report is even greater than we expected.”
The researchers say expanding global adoption of OS could prevent thousands of ovarian cancer cases worldwide each year.
Extending OS to other abdominal and pelvic surgeries where appropriate could further increase the number of people who could benefit from the prevention strategy. B.C. recently became the first province to expand OS to routine surgeries performed by general and urologic surgeons through a project supported by the Government of B.C. and Doctors of BC.
“Our hope is that more clinicians will adopt this proven approach, which has the potential to save countless lives,” said Dr. Huntsman. “Not offering this surgical add-on may leave patients unnecessarily vulnerable to this cancer.”
Interview language(s): English
Journal
JAMA Network Open
Method of Research
Data/statistical analysis
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
Serous Ovarian Cancer Following Opportunistic Bilateral Salpingectomy
Article Publication Date
2-Feb-2026
COI Statement
Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Bakkum-Gamez reported receiving grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Center Support Grants to Mayo Clinic and grants from NIH/NCI Ovarian Specialized Programs of Research Excellence to Mayo Clinic during the conduct of the study; grants from Exact Sciences to Mayo Clinic outside the submitted work; holding a patent for PCT/US2023/031831 licensed to Mayo Clinic and Exact Sciences, a patent for 18/279,980 licensed to Mayo Clinic and Exact Sciences, a patent for 18/327,614 licensed to Mayo Clinic and Exact Sciences, and a patent for 17/424,422 licensed to Mayo Clinic and Exact Sciences; and receiving article royalties from UpToDate. Dr Buza reported receiving personal fees from Astra Zeneca/Daiichi Sankyo, Merck, GSK, and Agilent outside the submitted work. Dr Cohen reported receiving personal fees from AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, and Merck Sharp and Dohme; holding stock in Releviis Therapeutics Pty Ltd outside the submitted work; and serving as Board Director of Australia and New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group. Dr Devins reported receiving personal fees from Daiichi Sankyo outside the submitted work. Dr Hodgson reported receiving personal fees from Merck, AstraZeneca, and AbbVie outside the submitted work. Dr Howitt reported receiving grants from Cartography, Santa Ana, and Link Cell Sciences; and personal fees from Cartography, ACDBio, Roche, and Abbvie outside the submitted work. Dr Karnezis reported receiving grants from the US Department of Defense (DoD) outside the submitted work. Dr Köbel reported receiving personal fees from Abbvie, GSK, Astra Zeneca, Merck, and Helic Biopharama outside the submitted work. Dr Kushi reported receiving grants from the NCI outside the submitted work. Dr Long Roche reported receiving grants from Break Through Cancer during the conduct of the study. Dr Malpica reported receiving book royalties from Wolters Kluwer outside the submitted work. Dr McAlpine reported lecture fees from Merck, Astra Zeneca, and GSK outside the submitted work. Dr Pearce reported receiving grants from the NIH, DoD, and Canary Foundation during the conduct of the study; and personal fees from Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance outside the submitted work. Dr Perera reported receiving grants from the Australian government during the conduct of the study. Dr Rabban reported that his spouse receives salary and stock options from Merck and Co. Dr Stone reported receiving grants from Break Through Cancer Foundation, Gray Foundation, and Pacira Pharmaceuticals; and consulting fees from AstraZeneca outside the submitted work. Dr Zalcberg reported receiving grants from Medical Research Future Fund during the conduct of the study. Dr Huntsman reported serving as an advisor to Avitia Bio outside the submitted work. Dr Hanley reported receiving grants from the US DoD Ovarian Cancer Research Program and Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance during the conduct of the study. No other disclosures were reported.
