Patient Information

Prophylactic Mastectomy

The most common reason for having a mastectomy is to treat a breast cancer. This is called a ‘therapeutic’ mastectomy. You can read about the different types of mastectomies here.

A ‘prophylactic’ or ‘risk reducing’ mastectomy is the removal of a ‘normal’ breast. If done at the same time as treatment of a breast cancer on the other side, it is called a “contralateral prophylactic mastectomy”. Some women decide to have a prophylactic mastectomy as part of their breast reconstruction for breast cancer on the non-affected side.

Reasons that a woman may consider a prophylactic mastectomy include:

The decision to have a prophylactic mastectomy can be very complex. Dr Lancashire will happily guide you through your options if it is appropriate for you.