Study finds double masectomies don't increase breast cancer survival rate

By Dustin M Braden - 03 Sep '14 16:50PM

A new study has found that a double mastectomy does not increase the survival rate in breast cancer patients at a time the procedure has been growing in popularity.

The Guardian reports several scientists in California conducted the research that appeared in in The Journal of the American Medical Association.The timeframe of the study was approximately 13 years and consisted of 189,734 women with breast cancer. Of those women, 55% had their tumors removed then received radiotherapy, 40% had one breast removed and the remaining 5% had undergone a double mastectomy.

The study reveals that breast cancer patients choosing to undergo double mastectomies for their cancer treatment aren't actually increasing their chances of survival.

Double mastectomy is the medical term for the removal of both breasts. The procedure is usually carried out to treat breast cancer but can also be used as a preventative measure. The procedure is used for prevention especially with individuals that inherited a faulty gene and might develop breast cancer later.

According to The Guardian, breast cancer patients undergoing double mastectomies have no greater chance of survival than patients that have their cancerous lumps removed and then received radiation therapy. It also suggests that the procedure has higher risks of complications related to it, such as an increased risk of post-surgery infection, and the overall psychological effects of having both breasts removed such as body image and sexual function.

Celebrities with the faulty gene that may cause breast cancer such as Angelina Jolie, Sharon Osbourne and the singer Michelle Heaton have undergone the surgery. This has drawn public attention to the procedure, thus starting a discussion about its efficacy.

The Guardian says a double mastectomy is still an option for individuals who are at higher risk of developing the disease due to genetic factors, but might not be effective for people who have already developed the disease.