March 11/2011 Dr Maurie Markman: Prophylactic Oophorectomy and BRCA1/2 Mutations

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excerpt:

 "Short- and Long-Term Effects of Surgical Menopause

Second, the performance of a bilateral oophorectomy in a premenopausal woman, so-called "surgical menopause," can result in very distressing menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, depression, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, etc.^[7] It is important to acknowledge that these symptoms are often described as being substantially worse than those experienced following natural menopause. The impact of these symptoms on an individual woman's overall quality-of-life should not be underestimated.
Again, the point of noting this concern is not to deny the utility of this surgery in women with a substantial risk of developing ovarian cancer. Rather, it is to be certain that this issue is discussed with the individual woman prior to the performance of the procedure. In this way, she can include this information in her decision-making process....."