Surgical procedure may reduce risk of certain cancers - Brief Article

AORN Journal, July, 2002

Salpingo-oophorectomy procedures performed on carriers of breast cancer (BRCA) have been found to reduce the risk of certain types of cancers, according to two studies published in the May 23, 2002, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. These types of cancers include BRCA, BRCA-related gynecologic cancer, and coelomic epithelial cancer.

The first study included 170 women who were age 35 or older who had not undergone bilateral oophorectomy. They chose to either be observed for ovarian cancer or undergo salpingo-oophorectomy. In the group that underwent treatment (n = 98), three women developed breast cancer and one developed peritoneal cancer. Among those who chose observation (n = 72), eight developed breast cancer, four ovarian cancer, and one peritoneal cancer.

Researchers in the second study identified 551 women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations and determined their incidence of ovarian cancer. Of these, 259 women had undergone bilateral prophylactic oophorectomy, and 292 were controls who had not undergone the procedure. Six women who underwent the procedure were diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the time of the procedure, and two were diagnosed with peritoneal carcinoma at 3.8 and 8.6 years after the procedure. In comparison, 58 women in the control group were diagnosed with ovarian cancer after a mean follow-up of 8.8 years.

Results of these studies support the discussion of using salpingo-oophorectomy as part of a preventive oncology strategy for women with BRCA mutations. This procedure can be used to aid in the detection of early-stage, curable ovarian cancer in women who have these mutations.

N D Kauff et al, "Risk-reducing solpingo-oophorectomy in women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation," The New England Journal of Medicine 346 (May 23, 2002) 1609-1615.

T R Rebbeck et al, "Prophylactic oophorectomy in carriers of BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations," The New England Journal of Medicine 346 (May 23, 2002) 1616-1622.