Study Suggests Removing Breasts

SKY ^ | 10/2/02

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Women with a high-risk cancer gene should remove their breasts and ovaries as a precaution in order to live longer, according to controversial new research.

A study by the charity Cancer Research UK shows women with the gene live up to 12 years longer if they have preventive surgery.

The researchers found removing both breasts decreased a woman's risk of developing breast cancer by 90%.

Surgery to remove both ovaries appeared to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer 24-fold and halved the risk of breast cancer.

Faulty gene

Lead researcher Dr Paul Harkin also from Queen's, said: "Surgery to remove a woman's breasts and ovaries may seem like a drastic step but we have to remember that the women involved in these studies are at a very high risk of breast and ovarian cancer."

The study also found breast screening for women in the high-risk category could be ineffective.

Lead author Dr Richard Kennedy, from Queen's University Belfast, said: "One reason for the failure of screening is that tumours are often fast growing and can develop between screening appointments."

The BRCA1 gene normally helps mend damaged genetic material, but some women have a faulty version which can lead to a lifetime risk of breast cancer and a high risk of ovarian cancer.

Choices

Between one in 500 and one in 1,000 women worldwide have a BRCA1 gene mutation - around 31,250 women in the UK could therefore be affected.

The researchers stressed it was important that each woman make their own choices and, while some may opt for surgery, once past childbearing age, others might prefer to rely on regular screening.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

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[Centurion2000]

Well if they do they should have a nice optional, "here's the replacement set cost option" for those that remove them

[ShadowAce]

The researchers found removing both breasts decreased a woman's risk of developing breast cancer by 90%.

Only 90%???

[proxy_user]

And if you have the gene for brain cancer?

[BlueLancer]

"And if you have the gene for brain cancer?"

You become a Democrat.

[asformeandformyhouse]

And if you have the gene for brain cancer?

You vote for democrats.

[ArrogantBustard]

OH NOOOOOOOOOoooo! The SKY is FAAAALLing!!! We're All gonna DIEEEEEEEE!!!!!

[joesnuffy]

Yep...that's why God put velcro on them....

[Miss Marple]

Psychic Friends network alert!!!! Look at your posts and the time! LOL!

[Exeter]

"And if you have the gene for brain cancer?"

You wait until it becomes full-blown and then write misspelled memos to the head of the Democratic Party...

[Ralph the Hun]

The researchers found removing both breasts decreased a woman's risk of developing breast cancer by 90%.

Only 90%???

Agree, how can you remove the breast or ovaries and still have breast/ovarian cancer?

[lsee]

I wouldn't have believed this, except for a case study I saw on TLC's 'A Personal Story' (Saving Kara). The woman they profiled was having both breasts removed because she carried the gene and had lost her mother at a young age to breast cancer and six other family members to cancer. In her case, not only did they reconstruct her, but she actually added a cup size. She said she had made the right decision for her, not because it totally eliminates her risk, but because the surgery decreases her risk level to the point where she can live her life and not constantly worry about the threat of breast cancer. Pretty drastic, but she did seem very happy and relieved.

[joesnuffy]

News/Activism forum, on a thread titled Study Suggests Removing Breasts, lsee wrote: I wouldn't have believed this, except for a case study I saw on TLC's 'A Personal Story' (Saving Kara). The woman they profiled was having both breasts removed because she carried the gene and had lost her mother at a young age to breast cancer and six other family members to cancer. In her case, not only did they reconstruct her, but she actually added a cup size. She said she had made the right decision for her, not because it totally eliminates her risk, but because the surgery decreases her risk level to the point where she can live her life and not constantly worry about the threat of breast cancer. Pretty drastic, but she did seem very happy and relieved. And then she gets hit by a bus..................

[lsee]

And then she gets hit by a bus

ROFLOL! I admit to having a similar thought while watching the program. Life is uncertain, ain't it?

[SolaScriptura]

Following this pattern...one should have their brains removed if they are at risk, their lungs...etc.

[lsee]

Well, I never said I agreed with her decision, I just reported what the woman said about it. It was an interesting program because I'd never heard of having elective breast removal surgery. It seemed very extreme to me. "And then she got hit by a bus"...I'm still chuckling over that line!

[altair]

bump

[Robert_Paulson2]

removing your brain won't make a difference... as you are most likely already... a democrat.