BRCA1 and BRCA2

In order to reduce the breast cancer risks, removing the ovaries or both breasts are a proposal based on the respective risk factors and expected reduction in a woman’s breast cancer diagnosis. 

Genetic alterations are the main indicative of these surgeries, mainly due to the mutations found in genes BRCA1 and BRCA2, which determines the breast cancer risk between 81% and 85% of people with this mutation.

In case of women with BRCA1, the risk of developing breast cancer until having 70 years old would be 60% and 55% if there is BRCA2. It is important to enhance that women with BRCA1 and with a history of breastfeeding for a minimal period of 12 months, decrease in more than 30% the breast cancer risk. Removing the ovaries around 40 years old reduces the risk in more than 50%, in women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 gens.