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Preventive (prophylactic) mastectomy: Surgery to reduce breast cancer risk
With whom should high-risk women discuss their options?
Content
Who may consider prophylactic mastectomy to reduce breast cancer risk?
With whom should women at high risk discuss their options?
How much does prophylactic mastectomy reduce the risk of breast cancer?
What are the risks?
Are there other options for reducing the risk of breast cancer?
What are the risks?
As with any surgery, prophylactic mastectomy has potential complications, including:
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Pain
- Anxiety or disappointment about changes to your appearance
- Complications arising from breast reconstruction
- The need for multiple operations
