Making your decision about risk-reducing breast surgery

The decision whether or not to have risk-reducing breast surgery is not an easy one. You will need lots of time and discussions to help you make up your mind. You may need to call upon the expertise of many health care professionals. The breast unit at the hospital that you attend should have a written procedure (protocol) for the care and support of women considering this type of surgery. If a protocol is not obviously available in your hospital, don’t be afraid to ask to see it to help you make a fully informed decision.

Women have different attitudes to this type of operation, and you may find this if you talk about it to your family and friends. Some women feel that risk-reducing mastectomy is a very extreme course of action and they know that they would never have it done. Others feel drawn to the idea immediately, particularly if they are very anxious about getting breast cancer. It may take a long time to weigh up the pros and cons to work out how you personally feel.

You may find it particularly helpful to hear about the experiences of other women who are, or have been, in the same situation as you. Your hospital team may be able to put you in touch with someone willing to share their experiences. However, it is important to remember that everyone’s 'journey' through this will be different as it depends on a whole host of factors, many of which we have tried to explore in this section.

There is no right or wrong way – it is very important to do what feels right for you and to take as much time as you need to make your decision

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Breast cancer

Breast reconstruction