Risk-reducing mastectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy in unaffected BRCA mutation carriers: uptake and timing

Once female carriers of a BRCA mutation are identified they have to make decisions on risk management. The aim of this study is to outline the uptake of risk-reducing surgery in the Danish population of BRCA mutation positive women and to search for factors affecting this decision. We analysed data from 306 healthy BRCA carriers with no personal history of ovarian or breast cancer. We found a 10-year uptake of 75% for risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy and 50% for risk-reducing mastectomy by time to event analysis. Age and childbirth influenced this decision. The uptake rate has not changed significantly over the last decade. Risk-reducing surgeries are widely acceptable among Danish BRCA mutation positive women and the uptake of prophylactic mastectomy is higher than in most other countries.