Personal health behaviors in women who have undergone risk-reducing mastectomy.
BACKGROUND
Risk-reducing mastectomy (RRM) remains an effective yet controversial modality for the primary prevention of breast cancer. Is the choice of RRM consistent with a generally proactive healthy lifestyle?


METHODS
The National Prophylactic Mastectomy Registry is a volunteer database comprised of 460 women who have undergone bilateral RRM. Each patient received a questionnaire drawn from the Centers for Disease Control Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Their responses were compared with gender-specific national data from the Centers for Disease Control.


RESULTS
Women in the RRM group were statistically more likely to engage in risk-reducing personal health behavior including not smoking, exercising, maintaining their health, and taking advantage of screening programs.


CONCLUSIONS
Women in the registry who underwent RRM practiced a more "healthy" lifestyle than gender-matched controls. Therefore, the decision to have prophylactic surgery may have been part of a proactive approach toward their overall physical well-being.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave., MRI 1026, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Michelle C
MC
Specht
Patrick I
PI
Borgen
Jane
J
Fey
Zi
Z
Zhang
Lisa
L
Sclafani
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors