title: Invasive breast cancer following bilateral subcutaneous mastectomy in a BRCA2 mutation carrier: a case report and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary prevention of breast cancer through prophylactic mastectomy can reduce the risk of malignancy in high-risk individuals. No type of mastectomy completely removes all breast tissue, but a subcutaneous mastectomy leaves more tissue in situ than does a simple mastectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case of invasive breast cancer in a BRCA2-positive woman 33 years after bilateral subcutaneous mastectomy. To our knowledge, only one case of primary breast cancer after prophylactic mastectomy in a BRCA1-positive patient has been reported in the literature and none in BRCA2-positive individuals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Careful documentation and long follow-up is essential to fully assess the benefits and risks of preventive surgical procedures in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada. lidia.kasprzak@mail.mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kasprzak
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mesurolle
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galvez
authors.forename: Fawaz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Halwani
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Foulkes