Fear, MRIs tied to double mastectomy decision

By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Factors other than medical history and risk may influence women with cancer in one breast to have both breasts removed even if it doesn’t improve their odds of survival, suggests a new study. Receiving genetic tests, advanced imaging and having a strong fear that cancer would develop in their second breasts were tied to an increased likelihood that women would choose to have a preventive double mastectomy, researchers found. “Usually if something is not needed to be removed, it’s not removed,” said Sarah Hawley, from the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, the study’s lead author. The Society of Surgical Oncology suggests that preventive double mastectomy – also known as contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) – be considered for patients at an increased risk of cancer, such as those with genetic susceptibility or strong family history of cancer.