Why ovary removal

Because estrogen makes hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers grow, reducing the amount of estrogen in the body or blocking its action can help shrink hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers and reduce the risk of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers coming back recurring. In some cases, the ovaries and usually the fallopian tubes may be surgically removed to treat hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer or as a risk-reduction measure for women at very high risk of breast cancer.

This is called prophylactic or protective ovary removal, or prophylactic oophorectomy. Removing the ovaries is one way to permanently stop the ovaries from producing estrogen. Medicines also can be used to temporarily stop the ovaries from making estrogen called medical shutdown.

Ovarian shutdown with medication or surgical removal is only for premenopausal women. A study shows that premenopausal women who had their ovaries removed and took tamoxifen for 5 years after breast cancer surgery had a lower risk of the breast cancer coming back and better survival rates compared to premenopausal women who didn't have their ovaries removed and took tamoxifen after surgery.

While this is considered aggressive treatment because it puts you prematurely and permanently in menopause, it may be a good treatment option for women who don't want to have any more biological children or for women who are at high risk for the cancer coming back. While most of the estrogen in a woman's body is made by the ovaries, smaller amounts of estrogen are made in other parts of the body; a steroid produced by the adrenal glands androgen is made into estrogen in fat tissue.

This is why you still might take tamoxifen after prophylactic ovary removal — to block the effect of any estrogen in your body.

Many studies show that prophylactic ovary removal reduces the risk of breast cancer among high-risk women who haven't been diagnosed with disease. Being high-risk also can mean that you have a strong family history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or both. This benefit occurs only if the ovary removal is performed before menopause.

Women at high risk for these cancers include those who:. If you don't know if you are at high risk for breast or ovarian cancer, talk to your doctor. If your doctor thinks you could be at risk, you may want to think about gene testing. When your ovaries are removed, you lose the estrogen that they produce. Without estrogen, you will go into early menopause. This can cause hot flashes and other symptoms. Women who choose to have their ovaries removed can take estrogen therapy.

This treatment doesn't prevent heart disease, but it helps to lower your risk of osteoporosis. If you already have bone loss, other medicines can help protect your bones.

These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions. My mother died of ovarian cancer when she was 48, so that's always been one of my biggest fears. I have severe PMS and don't plan to have children, so I decided to have a hysterectomy. And I'm going to have my ovaries taken out at the same time.

Knowing my risk of ovarian cancer is reduced will give me more peace of mind. I have a very large fibroid, so I have decided to have a hysterectomy to remove it.

But I plan to keep my ovaries so that I don't go into early menopause. My mother and two of her sisters had breast cancer when they were in their 40s. I have decided to have a hysterectomy to put an end to years of heavy menstrual bleeding. I am also going to have an oophorectomy to reduce my risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

I am going to have a hysterectomy to treat uterine prolapse. When my older sister had her hysterectomy, they also took her ovaries. But my doctor said it's probably a good idea to save my ovaries, especially since I am small-boned and my mother has osteoporosis. Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.

Reasons not to have your ovaries removed during hysterectomy. I feel that there are more benefits to removing my ovaries than keeping them. I feel that there are more benefits to keeping my ovaries than removing them. Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.

How sure do you feel right now about your decision? Use the following space to list questions, concerns, and next steps. Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision. I think that removing my ovaries will help with my severe PMS symptoms.

If you are at high risk for ovarian cancer, will you benefit by having your ovaries removed during a hysterectomy? Can you have menopause at the normal time of life if you have your ovaries removed? Can removing your ovaries increase your chances of getting heart disease and osteoporosis? Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you?

Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice? Author: Healthwise Staff. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.

Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Important Phone Numbers.

Get the facts. Your options Have your uterus and your ovaries removed hysterectomy with oophorectomy. Have your uterus removed, but keep your ovaries hysterectomy only.

Your doctor will be able to give you an idea of recovery time based on your personal health profile. Find out what to expect from salpingo-oophorectomy, a procedure used to remove one or both ovaries and fallopian tubes. Progesterone is an important hormone for both females and males.

Learn about its specific functions, how its levels are tested, and what test results…. You might wonder how sex is different after a hysterectomy, including where sperm goes. We've got answers to all your questions. If your menstrual period is consistently longer or heavier than normal, your doctor may recommend endometrial ablation.

Learn more. The Internet is full of home remedies that supposedly cause abortion, but these approaches are often ineffective, dangerous, or both. We'll explain…. Bleeding after hysterectomy can be normal, but if you have too much bleeding, new bleeding, or heavy bleeding, it could mean there is a problem….

Uterine polyp removal is a procedure that you may have done to ease symptoms or improve fertility. Most uterine polyps are benign, but if you need…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Oophorectomy: What to Expect. Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. This procedure may be used to treat: pelvic inflammatory disease chronic pelvic pain ectopic pregnancy benign tumors large ovarian cysts In women who carry mutations of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, oophorectomy may be performed to lower the risk of ovarian cancer.

What else does oophorectomy involve? How should I prepare for oophorectomy? What happens during the procedure? Potential side effects and risks. Read this next. What to Expect from Salpingo-Oophorectomy. Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.