After Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie revealed that she has undergone a preventive double mastectomy because she had a very high risk of breast cancer, here are some FAQs about the medical procedure and the condition.
What is preventive mastectomy?
1. It is breast removal surgery to prevent breast cancer. A small incision is made near the nipple almost size of a key hole and the entire breast tissue is removed. The incision is made on the dark brown skin near the nipple so scars stay hidden and are not noticed.
2. Breast tissue is removed and is replaced by silicone implants. The entire procedure including the cosmetic reconstruction of breasts lasts for up to 3 hours. It is a skin and nipple sparing surgery so the outer contours of the breast are retained
What is BRCA1 and BRCA2?
BRCA1 and BRCA2 are human genes which are tumour suppressors in relation to breast cancer.
Harmful mutations to the genes increases a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer up to five times than a normal woman.
Of all women who have breast cancer, only 2% get it because of BRCA1 / BRCA2 mutations.
In majority of the women, BRCA1/ BRCA2 gene does not have a role to play in occurrence of breast cancer.
Lifestyle disorders and faulty food habits cause breast cancer in 98% of women.
In India, 23 of every one lakh women get breast cancer. In cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi up to 32 of every one lakh women get breast cancer.
In US, 76 of every one lakh women get breast cancer.
In spite of incidence in US being more than double, the death rate is 14.7 women per 1,00,000.
Whereas in India the death rate is 11.1 women per one lakh.
If detected at the first stage, the survival rate is 95%.
More than 60% cases in India are detected late, of which, half the women die due to late detection.
When should you undergo BRCA1/2 gene tests
Breast cancer is a type of cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk.
All women after embarking on their periods should undergo breast cancer screening, including self physical examination every month and annual clinical examination
Every woman after 50 years should undergo mammography annually.
Women, who have a family history or are at high risk, should undergo mammography, sonography or MRI tests on advise of doctors only.
Only if there is a family history of cancer with more than two close relatives been afflicted by breast cancer should you undertake gene tests.
Undergoing BRCA 1 / 2 gene tests before 30 is not advisable as it perpetrates paranoia, say doctors.
The gene tests can cost anywhere between Rs40,000 and Rs60,000 according to estimates obtained from diagnostic labs in the city.
Doctors advise daughters and sisters of women who have breast cancer to undergo a BRCA test only after they have had at least two children and are mentally ready to go through the test.
This is to prevent breeding of unnecessary paranoia in the minds of the person vulnerable to developing breast cancer due to past family history.
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