Many women diagnosed with cancer in one breast have both removed in a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM), but there is little clinical evidence to suggest this is necessary in most cases.
Removing an unaffected breast has not been shown to increase the instances of patient survival, a JAMA Network Journals news release reported.
The Society of Surgical Oncology suggested that CPM should be used as a treatment only in patients who are considered to have a high risk of developing cancer in the unaffected breast. These patients could have genetic mutations that predispose them to breast cancer or who have had at least two close relatives who developed the condition.
The researchers surveyed 2,290 women who had been recently diagnosed with breast cancer between June 2005 and February 2007 as well as between June 2009 and February 2010. The patients had an average age of 59.
Out of the sample 18.9 percent had "strongly considered" CPM while 7.6 percent had actually undergone the procedure. On the other hand 45.8 percent had one breast removed in a unilateral mastectomy and 22.8 percent had underwent breast conservation surgery that removed the cancerous tissue without the whole breast.
Out of the women who received CPM 80 percent reported they had chased the procedure in order to prevent the development of cancer in the other breast. Most women who received the procedure also underwent breast reconstruction surgery.
"The growing rate of CPM has motivated some surgeons to question whether performing an extensive operation that is not clinically indicated is justified to reduce the fear of disease recurrence. Increased attention by surgeons coupled with decision tools directed at patients to aid in the delivery of risk and benefit information and to facilitate discussion could reduce the possibility of overtreatment in breast cancer," the researchers said in the news release.
