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Mastectomy option for those with BRCA genes

  • Published: 17 April 2008 17:21
  • Last Updated: 17 April 2008 17:22
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A mastectomy may be preferable to lifetime surveillance for women that carry a breast cancer gene mutation, suggest Dutch investigators.

Dr Reinie Kaas, a researcher at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, told delegates at the European Breast Cancer conference in Berlin this week that prophylactic breast removal left a remaining risk of breast cancer of 1%.

She examined outcomes in 250 carriers of the gene types BRCA1 or 2 that had opted for mastectomy. Only one went on to develop cancer.

Mastectomy saved women the stress of regular checkups as well as saving health service costs, she told delegates.


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Reader Response

Added: Wednesday, 7 May 2008 11:26 BST
Anonymous, Manly West, Australia

At 46 years old I had a mastectomy for breast cancer, the second case in my family of six sisters. A year later, after chemotherapy, I had the other breast removed for reasons other than prophylaxis - I was seriously confronted by the asymmetry! Since then a third sister has had breast cancer. Our daughters are only too well aware of risk and surveillance, but until they are sure that there is a "no disadvantage" clause attached to the genetic testing, they won't be taking part in any such profiling. Too few clothes are designed to look good for those of us who are missing breasts, and bras for women with prostheses are both ugly and expensive. Come on you fashion designers!


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