Preventative Mastectomies Just Became an Option for More Women

This could quietly shift the entire conversation around breast cancer prevention.

A new study published in JAMA Oncology found that preventive mastectomy isn’t just for women with BRCA mutations. It may be a smart, cost-effective option for thousands of women with elevated lifetime risk, even if their genetic tests come back negative.

Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Queen Mary University used an economic model to determine when surgery offers the best value and the strongest protection. Their results? Women aged 30 to 55 with a 35% or higher lifetime risk of developing breast cancer should be offered the chance to consider risk-reducing mastectomy.

That’s a much broader group than current guidelines account for. Right now, preventive mastectomy is mostly reserved for women with mutations in genes like BRCA1, BRCA2 or PALB2. If your genetic report doesn’t show one of those, surgery often isn’t even mentioned.

This research challenges that approach. It acknowledges that risk isn’t one-size-fits-all, and it makes room for more women to access real prevention—not just more screening.

For the previvor community, this opens the door to new conversations. It gives weight to the decisions so many women have already made, and offers support to those who want to take action before cancer ever has the chance to grow.

Know your risk.
Know your options.

And if you don’t yet, we can help. The Feel For Your Life app can guide you through risk factors, breast health reminders and the questions to ask at your next appointment.