Oophorectomy Increases Breast Cancer Survival in BRCA1 Mutation Carriers

(April 29, 2015) A study published in JAMA Oncology last Saturday concluded that an oophorectomy, the surgery to remove ones ovaries, has a substantial impact on survival rates for those diagnosed with stage I or II breast cancer who also tested positive for the BRCA1 mutation.

Involved in the study were 676 women, 345 of whom had their ovaries removed and 331 who did not have the surgery. After twenty years, it was found that the women who had undergone surgery to remove their ovaries had a decreased breast cancer related mortality rate compared to those who did not undergo surgery. The study concluded by recommending that, “women with estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer and BRCA1 mutation should undergo oophorectomy shortly after diagnosis.”

One should note that although a small portion of women with BRCA2 were included in the study, there was not a significant difference in mortality rates between the two study groups.

Read more about the study here; and read the full study here.