In a study of 5000 healthy female BRCA1/2 carriers (without a breast cancer diagnosis):
- BRCA1 carriers: after an average of over 10 years follow-up, survival was higher in those who had bilateral mastectomy (99.7%) compared to those who had breast screening through mammograms and breast MRIs (93%).
- BRCA2 carriers: no significant differences were seen between those who had bilateral mastectomy versus screening.
Although the results of this study provide additional information that may be useful to BRCA carriers, it remains important to remember that cancer risk management decisions are a personal decision. It is important to be aware of the information available to make an informed decision, with guidance from your healthcare provider.
Check out the article at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31302855