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Removal of the ovaries in breast cancer
Removal of the ovaries in breast cancer
The decision on this method of hormonal treatment, as the impact on the ovaries - a very important and crucial moment in the treatment of breast cancer. This is especially true for those patients who have no children. However, if you are over forty, and menstrual cycle you have not yet died down, but if there are cancerous lymph nodes, your doctor may recommend several methods to reduce the level of estrogen in the blood. This may be the suppression of ovarian function, their removal and the appointment of an aromatase inhibitor. The choice of method will depend on the risk of cancer recurrence.
Removal of the ovaries is often used as a measure of prevention of breast cancer and ovarian cancer in the presence of a proven genetic abnormality (BRCA1 or BRCA2). With this removal of ovaries risk of developing breast cancer is reduced by 50%.
The significance of this treatment will depend on how early menopause will have an impact on quality of life (fertility, hot flashes, etc.) and general health (elevated cholesterol levels and the effect on bone tissue).
Removing ovaries to prevent the risk of cancer
Surgical removal of the ovaries can also be performed after chemotherapy to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer regardless of menopausal status. Removal of the ovaries, both before and after menopause reduces the risk of developing breast cancer. This treatment is perfect as patients with familial predisposition to breast cancer and identified a gene abnormality type BRCA1 or BRCA2.
If removal of the ovaries performed before menopause reduces the risk of both breast cancer and ovarian cancer. If you have had breast cancer and you have menopause after chemotherapy, removal of the ovaries can be done to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. When surgical removal of ovarian cancer risk of cancer is reduced by 80%. Unfortunately, to reduce this risk to zero is impossible, since even after the removal of the ovaries in the pelvis is the fabric, similar in function to the tissue of ovaries. Removal of the ovaries or medical suppression of their function may cause some side effects.
Infertility. If removal of the ovaries was performed the patient before menopause, there comes sterility, because the body can not produce more eggs.
Osteoporosis. Changes in the bone tissue when removing the ovaries or the suppression of their functions connected with the sharp decline in estrogen levels in the blood. And the younger the patient, who has survived this type of hormone therapy, the more pronounced osteoporosis.
Menopausal symptoms. If removal of the ovaries or the suppression of their functions performed in premenopausal women, then after that it begins menopause. Moreover, the surgical removal of ovaries menopause occurs much faster. As a result, there are hot flushes, swelling or weight gain, vaginal dryness, mood swings, depression.
