Whether you are thinking about having a mastectomy for prophylactic reasons or as part of your breast cancer treatment, making the choice can be a major decision. There are several instances when a mastectomy could be the best option.

Strong Family History

Choosing a prophylactic mastectomy may seem like an unnecessary step to minimize your chance of breast cancer, but some women make this choice. Generally, they have a strong family of breast cancer and may test positive for certain mutations, such as BRCA1 and/or BRCA2. When you remove the breasts, you dramatically reduce your lifetime risk of breast cancer. If you are considering a prophylactic mastectomy due to family history and/or genetic mutations, you must realize there may be increased risks of other cancers beyond the breasts. Sometimes genetic mutations and family history may also manifest themselves as an increased risk of ovarian cancer. If you already had breast cancer, you may also decide later that mastectomy gives you the best chance at minimizing the recurrence risk.

Cancer Type

No specific type or stage of cancer has a guaranteed path, but some types have a history of being more aggressive. For example, inflammatory breast cancer is frequently diagnosed at a late stage because it can spread quickly. When a type of breast cancer is known to be more aggressive and is caught early, a mastectomy might give you a better chance at achieving remission. Mastectomy may be a proposed treatment option for some women with ductal carcinoma in situ. This form of breast cancer is in the milk ducts of the breast and has not progressed. Regardless of the type of breast cancer, more advanced breast cancers may also benefit from a mastectomy to increase the chances at removing all the cancer.

Extensive Tumors

When cancerous tumors in the breast are large or there are multiple tumors, a mastectomy could make more sense than a lumpectomy for cosmetic and reconstructive reasons. If there is a larger mass, removing the mass and surrounding tissue will likely leave a significant indentation in the breast. This will change the size, shape, and contours of the breast when compared to the unaffected breast. Sometimes the emotional impact of the changes can be more damaging than having the breast removed and reconstructed. There are several methods of reconstructing the breasts after a mastectomy, whether you use your own tissue or implants, making it easier to match the appearance of the unaffected breast.

Although breast-conserving approaches can be an option for many instances of breast cancer, a mastectomy could be the better option. Some women prefer the peace-of-mind associated with reducing their breast cancer risk or having a better chance at beating breast cancer after a mastectomy.