Prophylactic Mastectomy: Reducing the Risk of Breast Cancer

Every woman is at risk for breast cancer just by being female and growing older. Many women are diligently attentive to the lifestyle factors that can reduce their risk: They don’t smoke, eat a plant-based diet, control their weight, exercise regularly, avoid hormone therapy, and limit exposure to radiation and environmental pollution. For some high-risk… Continue reading Prophylactic Mastectomy: Reducing the Risk of Breast Cancer

Marginal Benefit from Prophylactic Mastectomy

The choice of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) by women with breast cancer (BC) diagnosed in one breast has recently increased in the US but may confer only a marginal life expectancy benefit depending on the type and stage of cancer, according to a study published July 16th 2014 in the JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Double Mastectomy Doesn’t Increase Survival

Many women diagnosed with cancer in one breast undergo a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) to remove both breasts. Yet removing the unaffected breast has not been shown to increase survival, according to a study done at the University of Michigan and published online May 21st 2014 in Jama Surgery.