A preventive mastectomy is an option for women to dramatically reduce their chance of getting breast cancer. The surgical procedure removes all breast tissue found in one or both breasts before any breast cancer has been detected.

Although thousands of women face this decision every year, Angelina Jolie’s recent preventive mastectomy personal story captured the hearts imagination of the media, public and numerous breast cancer advocacy organizations. Her story will hopefully lead women to inquire about their personal risk of developing breast cancer.

One of the more notable surgical advances in breast cancer treatment and prevention is nipple sparing mastectomy. This is a surgical technique similar to the traditional mastectomy that removes the whole breast, but unique in that it spares the skin, nipple and areola. This is then followed by immediate reconstruction.

For some women facing a breast cancer diagnosis or a genetic mutation that predisposes them to breast cancer, the word “mastectomy” is terrifying. Thoughts of a mastectomy often produce fear and anxiety because women believe that the operation must mean the loss of the breast shape, skin, sensation, nipple and areola.

Fortunately, we have made great progress since the days of the obligatory radical mastectomy for all breast cancers, and now we can often offer a nipple sparing mastectomy which significantly improves cosmetic satisfaction after mastectomy.