Bilateral oophorectomy may do more harm than good

[News]

Removal of the ovaries (bilateral oophorectomy) while performing a hysterectomy is common practice to prevent the subsequent development of ovarian cancer. This prophylactic procedure is performed in 55% of all U.S. women having a hysterectomy, or approximately 300,000 times each year. An article in the March/April issue of The Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology suggests that this procedure may do more harm than good.

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[Westcoastgirl]

I would like to hear what others have to say as I am confused as to what this all means for many of us.


Quote: Premenopausal oophorectomy causes a rapid decline in circulating ovarian estrogens and androgens. Postmenopausal ovaries continue to produce significant amounts of the androgens testosterone and androstenedione, which are converted to estrogen. Estrogen deficiency has been associated with higher risks of coronary artery disease and hip fracture, and neurologic conditions.

My question: If we are taking estrogen blockers/aromatase blockers are we not in the same position as those women without their ovaries?

[Jackie07]

Exactly!

And why did they publish the article 'after' my prophylactic Hysterectomy/bilateral oophorectomy?

We are doomed... Our choices are either running the risk of getting breast cancer again or dying prematurely from heart diseases with a broken hip while having tremers because of Parkinson's...

Guess I'll start 'resistence' exercise (for the bones) and drinking a lot of milk (for calcium) again; walking 1 hour each day (for the heart) and get back to practise the piano (for neurological fuction)...

I guess what they are saying is that many women undergo oophorectomy unnecessarily. For those of us who are at high risk of breast cancer (recurrence) and ovarian cancer (cancer of the reproductive organs), it might be the 'necessary' procedure. We just have to weigh the situation and choose the lesser evil...

ps. I'm pretty sure that I dodged a bullet by having the Hysterectomy/BSO because my lips are perfectly normal now and I've gained a few needed pounds.