Preventive mastectomies that preserve the nipple and surrounding skin are as safe as more-invasive surgeries for women who carry the genetic mutation BRCA, a study led by Mayo Clinic has found. The BRCA mutation raises the risk of developing breast cancer.

Mayo Clinic breast surgeon James W. Jakub, M.D., with the Breast Diagnostic Clinic and Subspecialty General Surgery at Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota, discusses the study and its findings.

For more information

Jakub JW, et al. Oncologic Safety of Prophylactic Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy in a Population with BRCA Mutations: A Multi-institutional Study. JAMA Surgery. 2018;153:123.