Washington DC (ChatterShmatter) – In an attempt to protect themselves from future infection women diagnosed with breast cancer in one breast are also having the unaffected breast removed. The procedure which is called collateral prophylactic mastectomy is astep being taken by women to battle against the worldwide leader of cancer death among women.
While it is uncertain which women are at the highest risk levels a study released Monday targets those with multiple tumors in the initial diagnosis, those with invasive lobular breast cancer and those who score high in the “Gail” model which calculates many different factors from the woman’s history.
The study led by Dr. Kelly Hunt of the University of Texas reviewed the cases of more than 542 women and was published in the medical journal Cancer.
Hunt also found that while this treatment will not allow the cancer to develop in a breast which is not present it is not something overwhelmingly supported by doctors.
The study also found that some women with strong family histories of breast cancer are having the preemptive mastectomies on both breasts done long before any cancer diagnosis is found.
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