BREAST CANCER AWARENESS - OCTOBER 12, 2016 - COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL - 9
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS | MEDICAL APPROACHES
Risk-Reduction Surgeries
A
long family history of cancer may put you at a greater risk of contracting the
disease. Usually, when cancer is hereditary, a family passes down mutated
genes. These genes can become out of control and are likely to cause cancer.
If you do have a long-run-
ning history of cancer in your
family, you should have regular
check-ups with your doctor.
Susan G. Komen reports that
patients who discover their
cancer during Stage I have a 90
percent survival rate. This sta-
tistic underscores the impor-
tance of staying on top of your
health as you age.
One of the keys to beating
breast cancer is catching it
before it is able to spread to
your lymph nodes.
If you are at high risk, there
are many options to consider
to remain cancer free. Risk-
reduction surgeries are becom-
ing a common option for those
who are at the highest risk level
for breast cancer.
EFFECTIVENESS OF RISK-
REDUCTION SURGERY
Bilateral prophylactic mas-
tectomy — the surgery to
remove both breasts in order to
reduce the risk of breast cancer
— has been shown to drop the
risk of cancer by 95 percent,
according to Cancer.gov.
This surgery is usually meant
for women with family histo-
ries showing the BRCA1 or
BRCA2 gene. According to the
National Cancer Institute,
these two genes account for 20
to 25 percent of hereditary
breast cancers.
Your doctor will be able to
determine if you have these
© FOTOLIA
gene mutations with a simple
blood test, and can then walk
you through your options.
RISK INVOLVED
Experts also note that receiv-
ing this surgery may cause
anxiety concerning body
image. Speak with your physi-
cian about the psychological
side effects while you are
deciding to commit to this sur-
gery.
As with all major surgeries,
the removal of both breasts is
one with many factors to con-
sider. Potential harms that may
arise are similar to any major
OTHER OPTIONS
If you decide that preventa-
surgery, including major bleed-
ing or infection.
tive major surgery is not the
path you want to travel, there
are still ways to keep your risk
down.
Frequent check-ups will let
you and your health profes-
sional know exactly where you
stand. Talk with your physician
or oncologist about how fre-
quently they recommend you
be tested.
Chemoprevention is the use
of drugs to delay cancer’s
development in high-risk
patients. The Food and Drug
Administration has approved
several of these drugs and
shows that they will reduce the
risk of breast cancer in patients
at higher risk.
Again, always consult with
your physician to discuss the
specifics of your health in rela-
tion to starting new drugs or
treatments.