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Patients who suffer from breast cancer due to BRCA 1 gene mutation have caused them their lives.
According to a new study it is found that the removal of ovaries has resulted in reduction of deaths of patients suffering from breast cancer by 62 percent.
Generally women who are suffering from BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene have 70 percent possibility of developing breast cancer during their lifetime. These women are also at a high risk of second primary breast and ovary cancers in case they do develop breast cancer.
The study is conducted by the researchers from the Women’s College Research Institute in Toronto, Canada.
For the study they had a group of 676 women suffering from BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations as well as early stage breast cancer.
345 participants underwent oophorectomy, it is procedure to remove ovaries, while the other 331 participants retained both the ovaries.
Dr. Mary L. Disis, editor-in-chief of JAMA Oncology said, “The results provide a validation of the role of oophorectomy in conveying both a disease-free and overall survival benefit for BRCA1 mutation carriers, in the entire group, oophorectomy was particularly effective for survival benefit in women with estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer. The data reported here are compelling and suggest that the potential of oophorectomy should become part of the treatment discussion at the time of diagnosis for BRCA mutation carriers with early-stage breast cancers.”
The only limitation of the study was that the participants were at stage 1 and stage 2 breast cancer, so the findings of the study may not apply to women who suffered from advance stage of breast cancer.
The strength of their study is large sample size and confirmation of all treatments by review of medical records.
Deaths from breast cancer were also distinguished from deaths from other causes.
