Oophorectomy

Oophorectomy involves the removal of the ovaries; in BRAC gene mutation patients, the fallopian tubes are typically removed as well. This is done because ovary derived estrogen is known to promote breast cancer. This surgery may reduce a woman's chances of developing breast cancer by 50 percent, as well as lowering the chance's of developing ovarian cancer by 90 percent. The risks associated with this surgery include infection as well as internal organ damage. The most harmful side effect of this surgery, however, is the loss of hormones produced by the ovaries. This causes women to go into early [|menopause], which triggers bone thinning, an increased risk of heart disease, and the general drawback associated with menopause. Women may avoid this surgery who plan to have children, as it does result in a loss of fertility, and some may even experience emotional stress due to feeling that they have a lost an aspect of their role as a female.