Preventive Surgeries May Be Lifesaver for Women at High Cancer RiskBy Madonna Behen, HealthDay NewsWomen who carry genetic mutations that boost their odds of breast and ovarian cancer can live longer and reduce their cancer risk by having preventive surgery, a new study suggests. The surgery in question is drastic: removal of the breasts or ovaries before any signs of cancer have arisen. However, "what our findings show is that women who choose to have these surgeries will reduce their risk of dying of breast or ovarian cancer by about 70 to 80 percent, which is pretty profound," said study senior author Dr. Timothy Rebbeck, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. |