Women with the BRCA1 mutation should have their ovaries removed before the age of 35 to reduce their risk of ovarian and breast cancer, but women with the BRCA2 mutation can hold off surgery until later. The surgery, called a prophylactic oophorectomy, reduces both groups’ overall risk of death before age 70.
Prophylactic oophorectomy with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations is known to reduce the risk of not just ovarian cancer, but also fallopian tube and breast cancer. But this is the first study to look at what age is best to have the surgery to reduce the risk of getting ovarian and breast cancer.
Read more at University of Toronto