Is the removal of the ovaries useful?

When the precautionary removal of the ovaries makes sense

03/25/2015

Two years ago, the American actress Angelina Jolie out of fear of cancer has amputated her breasts. Now she had her ovaries removed. Since this became known, it is discussed whether the step was not exaggerated. Cancer researchers believe that this measure may be useful for certain gene defects.

Angelina Jolie had breasts and ovaries removed
Fear of cancer, the US actress Angelina has amputated two breasts two years ago. Now it became known that she also had her ovaries removed recently. This move has reignited the discussion about preventive measures against cancer. Some people think Jolie's decision was exaggerated. But cancer researchers do not see it that way. They even recommend this for women with certain genetic defects. The Hollywood star has one. She was discovered years ago in a genetic test breast cancer risk BRCA-1. Her mother died of ovarian cancer at the age of 56. At that time, the doctors had estimated the breast cancer risk of Angelina Jolie at 87 percent and the probability of developing ovarian cancer at 50 percent.

Mutated gene can lead to cancer
All humans have the gene BRCA1 in them. „It is important for the repair of DNA damage. If it mutates, it can lead to cancer“, said the physician Susanne Weg-Remers to the news agency dpa in an interview. Whether it makes sense to take a step as Agelina Jolie did, said the director of the cancer information service of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg: „It is useful if a mutated BRCA gene has been detected.“ BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes play an important role in the control of cell growth and cell division. The abbreviation BRCA stands for BReast CAncer (breast cancer), but a mutation also increases the risk of ovarian cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer.

Removal of the ovaries may be useful
„Almost three-quarters of women with defects contract breast cancer before the age of 70, and 40 to 50 percent of ovarian cancer. It may also be that you get both cancers“, explained Way Remers. She advises worried women to first clarify their family risk situation. If several relatives of both cancers are suspected, the suspicion of an inherited gene defect near. If a mutant BRCA gene has been detected, the expert considers removal of the ovaries useful. In such a case, they should be removed by the age of 40 or five years before the age of onset of the youngest relatives with the same defect.

Ovarian cancer is more complex
In Germany, around 74,000 women suffer from breast cancer each year and around 7,800 from ovarian cancer. The latter, however, is considered more treacherous. „However, the mortality rate of ovarian cancer is much higher, because it can not be recognized so well. It is deadly in a relatively large number of women“, explained Ms. Weg-Remers. „The risks of removing the ovaries are rather low compared to the disease risk.“ (Ad)