What is risk-reducing mastectomy?

Risk-reducing mastectomy (RRM) refers to surgical removal of the breasts in the absence of malignancy to reduce breast cancer risk in women (Table). 1. RRM is synonymous with prophylactic mastectomy, and is further specified as either bilateral or contralateral.

Should I have a risk-reducing mastectomy?

According to the National Cancer Institute, only those women who are at very high risk of breast cancer should consider preventive mastectomy. This includes women with one or more of the following risk factors: BRCA or certain other gene mutations. Strong family history of breast cancer.

What is risk reduction surgery?

Abstract. Risk-reducing surgery (RRS) is defined as a prophylactic approach with removal of organs at high risk of developing cancer, which is performed in cases without lesions or absence of clinically significant lesions.

What are the risks of mastectomy?

What are the risks of a mastectomy?

Short-term (temporary) breast swelling.
Breast soreness.
Hardness due to scar tissue that can form at the site of the cut (incision)
Wound infection or bleeding.
Swelling (lymphedema) of the arm, if lymph nodes were removed.
Pain in the breast that has been removed (phantom breast pain).

Is mastectomy a major surgery?

Mastectomy is a common but major surgery with serious risks and potential complications. You may have less invasive treatment options. Consider getting a second opinion about all of your treatment choices before having a mastectomy. The type of mastectomy you receive depends on the stage and type of your breast cancer.

How long is recovery from prophylactic mastectomy?

The recovery time from a double mastectomy can vary from person to person, but it typically takes 4 to 6 weeks. Some surgeries involve removing the breast tissue but saving the nipple, while others remove the whole breast. More radical mastectomies also remove chest muscle and, rarely, the lymph nodes.

Do you lose sensation after mastectomy?

Almost all women who have a mastectomy lose sensation in their chest, many of them forever. Dr. Constance Chen, a New York City-based plastic and reconstructive microsurgeon who specializes in breast and body work, says it’s time for this to change.

Will I get feeling back after mastectomy?

“For many women — especially young women or women undergoing prophylactic mastectomies — restoring sensation after mastectomy is life-changing.” However, she says regaining sensation is gradual, because nerves grow a millimeter a day.

Can a bilateral mastectomy reduce the risk of breast cancer?

Bilateral prophylactic mastectomy has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer by at least 95 percent in women who have a deleterious (disease-causing) mutation in the BRCA1 gene or the BRCA2 gene and by up to 90 percent in women who have a strong family history of breast cancer (2 – 5).

When to have breast reconstruction after a mastectomy?

Surgery to restore shape to your breast — called breast reconstruction — may be done at the same time as your mastectomy or during a second operation at a later date. A mastectomy is used to remove all breast tissue if you have breast cancer or are at very high risk of developing it.

How to reduce the risk of breast cancer after surgery?

Such treatment also reduces the already low risks of contralateral and second primary breast cancers. Drugs that are used as adjuvant therapy to reduce the risk of breast cancer after breast cancer surgery include tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors, traditional chemotherapy agents, and trastuzumab.

When to have a prophylactic mastectomy for breast cancer?

Mastectomy to prevent breast cancer. A prophylactic mastectomy is reserved for those with a very high risk of breast cancer, which is determined by a strong family history of breast cancer or the presence of certain genetic mutations that increase the risk of breast cancer.

What is risk-reducing mastectomy? Risk-reducing mastectomy (RRM) refers to surgical removal of the breasts in the absence of malignancy to reduce breast cancer risk in women (Table). 1. RRM is synonymous with prophylactic mastectomy, and is further specified as either bilateral or contralateral. Should I have a risk-reducing mastectomy? According to the National Cancer Institute,…