Summary: What are the advantages and disadvantages of a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy?According to new research, a single mastectomy might be more beneficial than a double mastectomy for young women who have early-stage breast cancer. More U.S. women with early stage breast cancer are opting to have both breasts removed as a precautionary measure. In fact, a 2014 study published in JAMA Surgery found that double mastectomy increased from 1.9 percent in 1998 to 11.2 percent in 2011. Despite this drastic increase, certain studies have found that having a double mastectomy does not improve survival rates. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy? Nicolas Ajkay, MD, FACS, shares whether a double or single mastectomy is best for the early stages of breast cancer.
