What is a mastectomy? Is it wise to do it as a prevention to stay ahead of breast cancer? Learn everything you need to know!
Mastectomy is an intervention in which the patient’s breasts are removed. Thus, the risk of relapses in breast cancer can be reduced.
Breast cancer is a disease that involves the breast cells in the ducts and lobes. These cells begin to grow out of control and do not have a programmed natural death, they can also form lumps in the breasts (which can be palpable or observable in medical images).
Although in most clinical cases the patient is usually a woman, this condition can also appear in men.
On the other hand, we can differentiate between different subtypes based on their location. It is a ductal cancer, if it appears in the ducts that carry milk to the nipple. However, it can develop in the glands that make milk (lobular cancer).
What is a mastectomy?
A mastectomy is a procedure in which one or both of the your breasts are removed. The risk of developing breast cancer or getting it once again is reduced. It can also be found as a prophylactic mastectomy (prevents a medical condition).
As a general rule, the medical team recommends this type of procedure over breast-conserving surgery. This is because mastectomy reduces the chances of breast cancer by more than 90%. However, there are patients who have it anyway because doctors cannot remove all breast cells that can be cancerous.
Likewise, the person always has the possibility to choose between the two interventions and can consult with specialists at all times.
Considerations to take into account
Normally the different types of cancer (not only breast cancer) happen due to modifications in the genetic material or DNA of the cells that make up one or more tissues. This cellular change can happen due to various triggers. Therefore, the medical team before performing the surgery considers whether the patient:
It has a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. These are genes that, if altered, can increase the risk of breast cancer. Through various genetic tests in specialized laboratories you can check its status.
A family history, a relative who has suffered from a certain disease.
You have already had breast cancer on previously or you have one now.
Today there are special measures that control radiation significantly reduce its adverse effects. However, exposure to any type of radiation may be capable of causing mutations in the DNA of our cells. Thus, the chances of developing different kinds of cancer increase.
Lobular carcinoma in situ. It is a disorder in the breasts in which the cells of the glands that produce milk begin to grow abnormally. On the other hand, it is not a subtype of breast cancer itself, but patients who suffer from it have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Indications for preventive mastectomy in breast cancer
This preventative method is useful in two cases:
- Subjects at very high risk of breast cancer. In this case, doctors perform the prophylactic lateral mastectomy, that is, they remove both breasts. Although the risk reduces, it is possible that they will develop cancer after the intervention.
- Patients who have already developed breast cancer. Instead, doctors decide for the use of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy or CPM. Thus, the risk of developing a second breast cancer in the other breast reduces. There are studies currently to verify the effectiveness of this method and if they outweigh the secondary risks of the operation.
It is important to take into account the psychological aspect when performing a mastectomy. Some patients may suffer from disorders due to the change in their body’s image. For this reason doctors perform mammoplasties sometimes, a procedure that aims to restore the original image of the breast.
Remember that your health is more important than your physical image, after all. it is important to prevent cancer. And if you need to, you can always get implants, to keep a good image. But it is crucial to remove any potential of developing cancer.
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