Prophylactic Ovary Removal

I am a Previvor. After my grandmother, maternal aunt, mother and sisters all had breast cancer, I convinced my siblings to undergo genetic testing with me. All but one of us tested positive for the BRCA2 gene. I was told I had an 85 percent lifetime chance of developing breast cancer. Initially, I just approached this news thinking I'd be very proactive about annual screening and doing my own breast exams, but that led to one false scare after another. I was paralyzed by fear, constantly getting past one false scare after another. I decided to have a prophylactic double mastectomy and prophylactic oopherectomy. It was neither easy nor immediately liberating, but eventually I recovered from all the surgeries and moved on to live a life free of the shadow of breast cancer. We can still get breast cancer, as they can never get all the breast cells, but I have greatly reduced the risk by having prophylactic surgeries. It's not for everyone, but it was definitely the right choice for me. I am a Previvor. After my grandmother, maternal aunt, mother and sisters all had breast cancer, I convinced my siblings to undergo genetic testing with me. All but one of us tested positive for the BRCA2 gene. I was told I had an 85 percent lifetime chance of developing breast cancer. Initially, I just approached this news thinking I'd be very proactive about annual screening and doing my own breast exams, but that led to one false scare after another. I was paralyzed by fear, constantly getting past one false scare after another. I decided to have a prophylactic double mastectomy and prophylactic oopherectomy. It was neither easy nor immediately liberating, but eventually I recovered from all the surgeries and moved on to live a life free of the shadow of breast cancer. We can still get breast cancer, as they can never get all the breast cells, but I have greatly reduced the risk by having prophylactic surgeries. It's not for everyone, but it was definitely the right choice for me.

For pre-menopausal women with estrogen positive breast cancer, the alternatives for tamoxifen are:
- medications that temporarily stop the ovaries from producing estrogen: Zoladex (goserelin acetate), Lupron (leuprolide), or Trelstar (triptorelin)
- surgical removal of ovaries
- radiation treatment to stop ovaries from working

A couple of less common treatments are Megace (megestrol) and Halotestin (fluoxymesterone). These treatments are used in specific cases.

For post-menopausal women, Aromatase inhibitors are considered a better option in most cases. For pre-menopausal women with estrogen positive breast cancer, the alternatives for tamoxifen are:
- medications that temporarily stop the ovaries from producing estrogen: Zoladex (goserelin acetate), Lupron (leuprolide), or Trelstar (triptorelin)
- surgical removal of ovaries
- radiation treatment to stop ovaries from working

A couple of less common treatments are Megace (megestrol) and Halotestin (fluoxymesterone). These treatments are used in specific cases.

For post-menopausal women, Aromatase inhibitors are considered a better option in most cases.