Mastectomy Slashes Cancer Risk in BRCA1/2 Women

A study has shown that bilateral prophylactic mastectomy reduces the risk of breast cancer by more than 90% in women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, and may be even more effective when performed concurrently with or following oophorectomy, or removal of the ovaries.

The findings were published in the February 23, 2004, issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. A second study in the same issue showed that women undergoing removal of the ovaries can take short-term hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to combat the symptoms of menopause without fear of significantly increasing breast cancer risk.

Among the 105 women who had bilateral prophylactic mastectomy, breast cancer was diagnosed in two (1.9%), compared to 184 of the 378 (48.7%) who did not undergo the procedure. Mastectomy reduced the risk of breast cancer by about 95% among women with prior or concurrent prophylactic oophorectomy, and by 90% among women with intact ovaries. Although removal of the breasts and the ovaries does not completely prevent breast and ovarian cancer, the researchers strongly recommended that all women with the BRCA mutations undergo oophorectomy at the completion of child bearing.

"Undergoing prophylactic mastectomy is a very personal decision. Women who choose to have their breasts removed in addition to their ovaries should know that prophylactic mastectomy is an option that really works, and makes taking HRT after oopherectomy even safer,” said senior author Dr. Barbara Weber, professor of medicine and genetics at the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, USA).




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