What is Prophylactic Ovary Removal?
Prophylactic ovary removal, also called prophylactic oophorectomy, is surgery to remove the ovaries and usually the fallopian tubes. The ovaries are egg-producing organs that also are the body’s main source of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. The fallopian tubes connect the ovaries to the uterus. If you are considered “high risk” for breast and ovarian cancer, prophylactic ovary removal is one strategy you can think about to reduce your risk of these diseases. Being high risk usually means you have tested positive for an abnormality in genes known as BRCA1 or BRCA2. It also can mean having a strong family history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or both.
