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Q.

How effective is preventive mastectomy in preventing or reducing the risk of breast cancer?

Related Topics: Mastectomy, Breast Cancer
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National Cancer InstituteSUCCESS!
National Cancer Institute
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A.

Existing data suggest that preventive mastectomy may significantly reduce (by about 90 percent) the chance of developing breast cancer in moderate- and high-risk women. However, no one can be certain that this procedure will protect an individual woman from breast cancer. Breast tissue is widely distributed on the chest wall, and can sometimes be found in the armpit, above the collarbone, and as far down as the abdomen. Because it is impossible for a surgeon to remove all breast tissue, breast cancer can still develop in the small amount of remaining tissue.

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