New research shows that while bilateral mastectomy lowers the risk of cancer in the opposite breast, it doesn’t improve overall survival rates. This finding may influence decisions for women with unilateral breast cancer, challenging the notion that more aggressive surgery yields better long-term outcomes.
Study Details
Researchers at the Women’s College Hospital in Toronto investigated the long-term effects of different surgeries for women with cancer in one breast. They aimed to determine if bilateral mastectomy (removal of both breasts) offers a survival advantage over lumpectomy (removal of tumor and small surrounding area) or unilateral mastectomy (removal of one breast).Using data from a large cancer registry, the study focused on women diagnosed with early to mid-stage breast cancer in one breast from 2000 to 2019. A total of 661,270 women were included, with an average age of 58.7 years.
