OMEN WHO HAVE IN-herited mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) genes have substantially elevated risks of breast cancer and ovarian cancer, with a lifetime risk of breast cancer of 56% to 84%. [1][2][3] The estimated ovarian cancer risks range from 36% to 63% for BRCA1 mutation carriers and 10% to 27% for BRCA2 mutation carriers. [3][4][5][6] Women who are mutation carriers have cancer risk-management options that include risk-reducing salpingooophorectomy, risk-reducing mastectomy, annual cancer screening, and chemoprevention. Due to the lack of effective screening for ovarian cancer, salpingo-oophorectomy is strongly recommended once childbearing is complete.Salpingo-oophorectomy has been demonstrated to decrease the risk of both breast cancer and ovarian cancer in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] However, estimates for risk and mortality reduction for women with and without For editorial comment see p 1011.

Bilateral prophylactic mastectomy reduces the risk of breast cancer in women with BRCA1/2 mutations by approximately 90%.