-
Consumer Health: Is prophylactic oophorectomy right for you?
Share this:
An oophorectomy is a surgical procedure to remove one or both ovaries. This may be necessary in the case of an abscess, endometriosis, ovarian cancer, or benign tumors or cysts.
Another reason for having this procedure is to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer or breast cancer in those at increased risk. This includes women who have an inherited mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, and those with a strong family history of breast and ovarian cancer but no known genetic alteration.
Preventive, or prophylactic, bilateral oophorectomy — removing your ovaries to reduce your risk — carries benefits and risks that must be carefully balanced when considering this procedure. You also should consider your individual risk of cancer and how aggressive you want to be in your cancer prevention efforts.
Learn more about prophylactic oophorectomy and whether it might be right for you.
Share this:
Related articles
Kathleen Stewart was used to waiting for test results. She'd been called back for additional mammogram images many times and had already undergone two biopsies ...
September is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month, which makes this a good time to learn about treating thyroid cancer. Nearly 44,000 new cases of thyroid cancer will be diagnosed ...
You might need supplemental screenings if you've been diagnosed with dense breast tissue. Women with dense breast tissue have less fat and more glandular and ...