• Question: What are the pros and cons of having double mastectomy surgery?

    Asked by anon-244767 on 30 Apr 2020.
    • Photo: Sophie Pritchard

      Sophie Pritchard answered on 30 Apr 2020:

      Thank you for your question. I am not medically qualified, but I shall do my best to answer your question. A double mastectomy is a big operation, and is not normally carried out unless there is a significant risk to the individual’s health. The patient may have breast cancer and it may be necessary to carry out a double mastectomy to prevent the spread of disease and better the prognosis (outcome) for the patient. Secondary cancer or cancer that has spread from it’s original site (metastases) are very complicated and more uncomfortable for the patient – more intensive treatment is usually required.

      Individuals may also have a double mastectomy if they are at very high risk of developing breast cancer (e.g. family history), and they may have certain genes (e.g BRCA1 and BRCA2) which predispose them to the disease. This is usually a decision that is made by the individual.

      Some of the negatives of having a double mastectomy would be the physiological impact and physical scarring. There will be lots of support available for anyone who goes through a mastectomy. I hope this helps to answer your question 🙂

    • Photo: Alena Pance

      Alena Pance answered on 30 Apr 2020:

      Indeed Sophie. Double mastectomy is done as part of treatment, when there is already a breast cancer that has some of the hallmarks of the dangerous types that either cannot be treated with hormonotherapy or are prone to spread around the body, making the disease much much worse and difficult. It is also used to prevent cancer in women gentically prone to develop breast cancer. But it is a radical measure that is not taken lightly.

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