DOCTORS URGE OTHER OPTIONS FOR WOMEN.Byline: Sharline Chiang Daily News Staff Writer Although a report released today shows double mastectomy mastectomy (măstĕk`təmē), surgical removal of breast tissue, usually done as treatment for breast cancer. There are many types of mastectomy. In general, the farther the cancer has spread, the more tissue is taken. is a highly effective preventive measure for women who are at high risk for breast cancer, most doctors will not be recommending it to their patients, a UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX medical expert said Wednesday. But the findings from a Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic: see Mayo, Charles Horace. Mayo Clinic voluntary association of more than 500 physicians in Rochester, Minnesota. [Am. Hist.: EB, 11: 723] See : Medicine study published in The New England Journal of Medicine The New England Journal of Medicine (New Engl J Med or NEJM) is an English-language peer-reviewed medical journal published by the Massachusetts Medical Society. It is one of the most popular and widely-read peer-reviewed general medical journals in the world. finally allows doctors to assure that the procedure is effective to women who are seriously considering it, said Dr. Patricia Ganz, director of the division of cancer prevention and control research at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles UCLA comprises the College of Letters and Science (the primary undergraduate college), seven professional schools, and five professional Health Science schools. Since 2001, UCLA has enrolled over 33,000 total students, and that number is steadily rising. . ``The importance of the study is we never knew how effective it was. There was always the question of could you really get rid of enough tissue to remove the risk of breast cancer,'' said Ganz, who is also head of the center's program for women with high risk of breast cancer. Now ``I think for the woman who is opting for that we can say it looks like it's very effective,'' she said. The Journal report on research done by Mayo Clinic researchers shows removing both breasts while they are still healthy reduces the risk of getting breast cancer by 90 percent, and the risk of dying from the disease by 80 percent to 90 percent. But, Ganz said ``I don't think the message is we should be recommending it.'' She noted patients have many options to reduce risk other than the procedure, known as bilateral prophylactic mastectomy prophylactic mastectomy Surgical oncology Bilateral mastectomy in a ♀ at high risk–eg, with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations and breast CA in 1st-degree relatives, to ↓ CA risk. See Prophylactic oophorectomy, Radical mastectomy. , including careful monitoring of the patient, frequent mammograms and living a healthier lifestyle. Also the drug Tamoxifen tamoxifen (təmŏk`sĭfĕn'), synthetic hormone used in the treatment of breast cancer. Introduced in 1978, tamoxifen is used to prevent recurrences of cancer in women who have already undergone surgery to remove their tumors. has been found to reduce risk by 50 percent. In the Mayo study 639 women had both breasts removed. Of them, 425 were considered to be at moderate risk, and 37 cases of breast cancer would have been expected after 14 years of follow-up. Only four actually occurred. Ganz said many at-risk women might never end up developing breast cancer, so advising the procedure could result in many women removing their breasts unnecessarily. |
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