A new study that combined the results of prior studies (through a systematic review/meta-analysis) including a total of over 6000 BRCA1/2 carriers showed that preventive bilateral mastectomy lowered overall deaths as well as deaths from breast cancer, compared to not having this done.
This information is important as women with BRCA1/2 mutations are deciding on their health options. Keep in mind, breast cancer screening (through mammograms and MRIs) are recommended for these women, and have also been shown to save lives; however, these screenings were not the focus of this study.
Learn more by reading the full article at: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2843262#xd_co_f=MTdiMGE0YjctNzA5ZC00YTFiLTkzMmQtNzBkZDIzZDg0NzEz~
Reference: O’Reilly et al. JAMA Surg. 2026:e255929. Online ahead of print. PMID: 41499127.