title: The impact of prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy on quality of life and psychological distress in women with a BRCA mutation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to measure the impact of prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy on health-related quality of life and psychological distress in women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women who underwent prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy between August 20, 2003 and June 26, 2008 because of a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation were invited to participate. Participants completed three questionnaires (SF-12(®) Health Survey, Brief Symptom Inventory and the Impact of Events Scale) before prophylactic surgery and again 1 year after surgery. Measures of health-related quality of life, of general psychological distress and of ovarian cancer worry before and after surgery were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Few women who underwent salpingo-oophorectomy experienced a worsening in physical or mental health functioning after salpingo-oophorectomy. On average, women experienced less ovarian cancer-specific worry after surgery; 34.3% experienced moderate to severe ovarian cancer-specific distress before surgery, compared with 18.6% after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For most women, physical and mental health-related quality of life did not deteriorate after prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy, and they were less worried about ovarian cancer. A subset of women continued to experience moderate to severe cancer-specific distress. Identification of these women is important in order to provide continued counseling and support.
authors.affiliation: Women's College Research Institute, Women's College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Finch
authors.forename: Kelly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Metcalfe
authors.forename: Jaclyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Lorraine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Elit
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Springate
authors.forename: Mary Jane
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Esplen
authors.forename: Rochelle
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Demsky
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Narod
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002170:Canada; D005185:Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D024522:Genes, BRCA2; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000523:psychology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D058994:Salpingectomy / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires