Uptake, Time Course, and Predictors of Risk-Reducing Surgeries in BRCA Carriers

Introduction and Aims: For women who carry BRCA mutations, risk-reducing surgeries are an option to decrease breast and ovarian cancer risk. This study aims to determine the uptake, time course, and predictors of risk-reducing mastectomy (RRM) and risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) in BRCA carriers. Results: In 272 female carriers, followed for a median of 3.7 years, 23% of those eligible chose RRM, and 51% percent chose RRSO. Among BRCA carriers who chose these procedures, median time to both RRM and RRSO was approximately 4 months after learning of BRCA-positive results. Predictors of RRM were as follows: age below 60 years (hazard ratio 1.8, p = 0.04), prior breast cancer (hazard ratio 2.4, p = 0.0004), and RRSO ( hazard ratio 7.2, p < 0.0001). Predictors of RRSO were as follows: age below 60 years (hazard ratio 3.6, p = 0.006), prior breast cancer (hazard ratio 1.8, p = 0.002), and RRM (hazard ratio 5.4, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Many women who undergo BRCA testing use these results to make clinical decisions; those who choose risk-reducing surgeries typically do so within months of receiving BRCA-positive results. Predictors of risk-reducing surgery uptake include the following: age below 60 years, prior breast cancer, and utilization of another risk-reducing surgery. Future research directions include examining other preventive and screening options in BRCA carriers as well as studying motivations for choosing or declining risk-reducing surgeries.