Print Overview Breast anatomy Enlarge image Close Breast anatomy Breast anatomy Each breast contains 15 to 20 lobes of glandular tissue, arranged like the petals of a daisy. The lobes are further divided into smaller lobules that produce milk for breastfeeding. Small tubes, called ducts, conduct the milk to a reservoir that lies just beneath the nipple. Breast cancer is a kind of cancer that begins as a growth of cells in the breast tissue. After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States. But breast cancer doesn't just happen in women. Everyone is born with some breast tissue, so anyone can get breast cancer. Breast cancer survival rates have been increasing. And the number of people dying of breast cancer is steadily going down. Much of this is due to the widespread support for breast cancer awareness and funding for research. Advances in breast cancer screening allow healthcare professionals to diagnose breast cancer earlier. Finding the cancer earlier makes it much more likely that the cancer can be cured. Even when breast cancer can't be cured, many treatments exist to extend life. New discoveries in breast cancer research are helping healthcare professionals choose the most effective treatment plans. Breast cancer care at Mayo ClinicProducts & ServicesA Book: Beyond Breast Cancer Types Angiosarcoma Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) Inflammatory breast cancer Invasive lobular carcinoma Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) Male breast cancer Paget's disease of the breast Recurrent breast cancer Symptoms Nipple changes Enlarge image Close Nipple changes Nipple changes Breast and nipple changes can be a sign of breast cancer. Make an appointment with a healthcare professional if you notice any changes. Signs and symptoms of breast cancer may include: A breast lump or thickened area of skin that feels different from the surrounding tissue. A nipple that looks flattened or turns inward. Changes in the color of the breast skin. In people with white skin, the breast skin may look pink or red. In people with brown and Black skin, the breast skin may look darker than the other skin on the chest or it may look red or purple. Change in the size, shape or appearance of a breast. Changes to the skin over the breast, such as skin that looks dimpled or looks like an orange peel. Peeling, scaling, crusting or flaking of the skin on the breast. When to see a doctorIf you find a lump or other change in your breast, make an appointment with a doctor or other healthcare professional. Don't wait for your next mammogram to see if the change you found is breast cancer. Report any changes in your breasts even if a recent mammogram showed there was no breast cancer. Request an appointment There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get the latest breast cancer information from Mayo Clinic delivered to your inbox. Sign up for free and receive the latest on breast cancer treatment, care and management. I would like to learn more about: The latest on newly diagnosed breast cancer Up-to-date information on recurrent breast cancer Specialized treatment information for high risk breast cancer Email address ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Subscribe Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Thank you for subscribing! You'll soon start receiving the latest health information you requested in your inbox. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry CausesThe exact cause of most breast cancers isn't known. Researchers have found things that increase the risk of breast cancer. These include hormones, lifestyle choices and things in the environment. But it's not clear why some people who don't have any factors get cancer, yet others with risk factors never do. It's likely that breast cancer happens through a complex interaction of your genetic makeup and the world around you. Healthcare professionals know that breast cancer starts when something changes the DNA inside cells in the breast tissue. A cell's DNA holds the instructions that tell a cell what to do. In healthy cells, the DNA gives instructions to grow and multiply at a set rate. The instructions tell the cells to die at a set time. In cancer cells, the DNA changes give different instructions. The changes tell the cancer cells to make many more cells quickly. Cancer cells can keep living when healthy cells would die. This causes too many cells. The cancer cells might form a mass called a tumor. The tumor can grow to invade and destroy healthy body tissue. In time, cancer cells can break away and spread to other parts of the body. When cancer spreads, it's called metastatic cancer. The DNA changes that lead to breast cancer most often happen in the cells that line the milk ducts. These ducts are tubes designed to carry milk to the nipple. Breast cancer that starts in the ducts is called invasive ductal carcinoma. Breast cancer also can start in cells in the milk glands. These glands, called lobules, are designed to make breast milk. Cancer that happens in the lobules is called invasive lobular carcinoma. Other cells in the breast can become cancer cells, though this isn't common. Risk factorsFactors that may increase the risk of breast cancer include: A family history of breast cancer. If a parent, sibling or child had breast cancer, your risk of breast cancer is increased. The risk is higher if your family has a history of getting breast cancer at a young age. The risk also is higher if you have multiple family members with breast cancer. Still, most people diagnosed with breast cancer don't have a family history of the disease. A personal history of breast cancer. If you've had cancer in one breast, you have an increased risk of getting cancer in the other breast. A personal history of breast conditions. Certain breast conditions are markers for a higher risk of breast cancer. These conditions include lobular carcinoma in situ, also called LCIS, and atypical hyperplasia of the breast. If you've had a breast biopsy that found one of these conditions, you have an increased risk of breast cancer. Beginning your period at a younger age. Beginning your period before age 12 increases your risk of breast cancer. Beginning menopause at an older age. Beginning menopause after age 55 increases the risk of breast cancer. Being female. Women are much more likely than men are to get breast cancer. Everyone is born with some breast tissue, so anyone can get breast cancer. Dense breast tissue. Breast tissue is made up of fatty tissue and dense tissue. Dense tissue is made of milk glands, milk ducts and fibrous tissue. If you have dense breasts, you have more dense tissue than fatty tissue in your breasts. Having dense breasts can make it harder to detect breast cancer on a mammogram. If a mammogram showed that you have dense breasts, your risk of breast cancer is increased. Talk with your healthcare team about other tests you might have in addition to mammograms to look for breast cancer. Drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer. Having your first child at an older age. Giving birth to your first child after age 30 may increase the risk of breast cancer. Having never been pregnant. Having been pregnant one or more times lowers the risk of breast cancer. Never having been pregnant increases the risk. Increasing age. The risk of breast cancer goes up as you get older. Inherited DNA changes that increase cancer risk. Certain DNA changes that increase the risk of breast cancer can be passed from parents to children. The most well-known changes are called BRCA1 and BRCA2. These changes can greatly increase your risk of breast cancer and other cancers, but not everyone with these DNA changes gets cancer. Menopausal hormone therapy. Taking certain hormone therapy medicines to control the symptoms of menopause may increase the risk of breast cancer. The risk is linked to hormone therapy medicines that combine estrogen and progesterone. The risk goes down when you stop taking these medicines. Obesity. People with obesity have an increased risk of breast cancer. Radiation exposure. If you received radiation treatments to your chest as a child or young adult, your risk of breast cancer is higher. PreventionThings you can do to lower your risk of breast cancer Breast self-exam Enlarge image Close Breast self-exam Breast self-exam To perform a breast self-exam for breast awareness, follow a pattern that ensures you cover your entire breast. For instance, imagine that your breasts are divided into equal wedges, like pieces of a pie. Move your fingers along each piece in toward your nipple. Making changes in your daily life may help lower your risk of breast cancer. Try to: Ask about breast cancer screening. Talk with your doctor or other healthcare professional about when to begin breast cancer screening. Ask about the benefits and risks of screening. Together, you can decide what breast cancer screening tests are right for you. Become familiar with your breasts through breast self-exam for breast awareness. You may choose to become familiar with your breasts by occasionally inspecting them during a breast self-exam for breast awareness. If there is a new change, a lump or something not typical in your breasts, report it to a healthcare professional right away. Breast awareness can't prevent breast cancer. But it may help you to better understand the look and feel of your breasts. This might make it more likely that you'll notice if something changes. Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink to no more than one drink a day, if you choose to drink. For breast cancer prevention, there is no safe amount of alcohol. So if you're very concerned about your breast cancer risk, you may choose to not drink alcohol. Exercise most days of the week. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week. If you haven't been active lately, ask a healthcare professional whether it's OK and start slowly. Limit menopausal hormone therapy. Combination hormone therapy may increase the risk of breast cancer. Talk with a healthcare professional about the benefits and risks of hormone therapy. Some people have symptoms during menopause that cause discomfort. These people may decide that the risks of hormone therapy are acceptable in order to get relief. To reduce the risk of breast cancer, use the lowest dose of hormone therapy possible for the shortest amount of time. Maintain a healthy weight. If your weight is healthy, work to maintain that weight. If you need to lose weight, ask a healthcare professional about healthy ways to lower your weight. Eat fewer calories and slowly increase the amount of exercise. Medicines and operations for those a high risk of breast cancerIf you have a high risk of breast cancer, you might consider other options to lower the risk. You might have a high risk if you have a family history of breast cancer. Your risk also might be higher if you have a history of precancerous cells in the breast tissue. Talk about your risk with your healthcare team. Your team might have options for lowering your risk, such as: Preventive medicines. Using estrogen-blocking medicines can lower the risk of breast cancer in those who have a high risk. Options include medicines called selective estrogen receptor modulators and aromatase inhibitors. These medicines also are used as hormone therapy treatment for breast cancer. These medicines carry a risk of side effects. For this reason, they're only used in those who have a very high risk of breast cancer. Discuss the benefits and risks with your healthcare team. Preventive surgery. If you have a very high risk of breast cancer, you may consider having surgery to lower the risk of breast cancer. One option might be surgery to remove the breasts, called prophylactic mastectomy. Another option is surgery to remove the ovaries, called prophylactic oophorectomy. This operation lowers the risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer. More InformationBreast cancer care at Mayo ClinicBreast cancer chemopreventionGenetic testing for breast cancer: Psychological and social impact By Mayo Clinic Staff Breast cancer care at Mayo Clinic Request an appointment Diagnosis & treatment Feb. 10, 2024 Print Living with breast cancer? Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Breast Cancer support group on Mayo Clinic Connect, a patient community. Breast Cancer Discussions Lobular Breast Cancer: Let's share and support each other 397 Replies Tue, Dec 24, 2024 chevron-right Suspicious area Bi-rad 2 or 3: Do I advocate for a biopsy or wait? 42 Replies Mon, Dec 23, 2024 chevron-right Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy: What helps get rid of it? 122 Replies Sat, Dec 21, 2024 chevron-right See more discussions Show references Cancer facts and figures 2023. American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics/all-cancer-facts-figures/2023-cancer-facts-figures.html. Accessed Aug. 9, 2023. Abraham J, et al., eds. Breast cancer. In: The Bethesda Handbook of Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Kindle edition. Wolters Kluwer; 2023. Accessed March 30, 2023. Breast cancer. Cancer.Net. https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/breast-cancer/view-all. Accessed Aug. 2, 2023. Mukwende M, et al. Erythema. In: Mind the Gap: A Handbook of Clinical Signs in Black and Brown Skin. St. George's University of London; 2020. https://www.blackandbrownskin.co.uk/mindthegap. Accessed Aug. 10, 2023. Townsend CM Jr, et al. Diseases of the breast. In: Sabiston Textbook of Surgery: The Biological Basis of Modern Surgical Practice. 21st ed. Elsevier; 2022. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Aug. 2, 2023. Breast cancer risk reduction. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. https://www.nccn.org/guidelines/guidelines-detail?category=2&id=1420. Accessed Aug. 2, 2023. Breast cancer prevention (PDQ) – Patient version. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/patient/breast-prevention-pdq. Accessed Aug. 2, 2023. Breast cancer. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. https://www.nccn.org/guidelines/guidelines-detail?category=1&id=1419. Accessed Aug. 2, 2023. Klimberg VS, et al., eds. Breast cancer diagnosis and techniques for biopsy. In: Bland and Copeland's The Breast: Comprehensive Management of Benign and Malignant Diseases. 6th ed. Elsevier; 2024. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Aug. 2, 2023. Palliative care. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. https://www.nccn.org/guidelines/guidelines-detail?category=3&id=1454. Accessed Aug. 2, 2023. Cancer-related fatigue. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. https://www.nccn.org/guidelines/guidelines-detail?category=3&id=1424. Accessed Aug. 2, 2023. Breast SPOREs. National Cancer Institute. https://trp.cancer.gov/spores/breast.htm. Accessed Aug. 9, 2023. Ami TR. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic. Jan. 31, 2023. Ami TR. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic. April 5, 2023. Member institutions. Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology. https://www.allianceforclinicaltrialsinoncology.org/main/public/standard.xhtml?path=%2FPublic%2FInstitutions. Accessed Aug. 9, 2023. Giridhar KV (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Oct. 18, 2023. Related Breast cancer chemoprevention Breast Cancer Education Tool Breast cancer staging Breast cancer types Breast self-examination Common questions about breast cancer treatment Dragon Boats and Breast Cancer Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer Genetic testing for breast cancer: Psychological and social impact HER2-positive breast cancer: What is it? Infographic: Breast Cancer Risk Lumpectomy Modified radical mastectomy Nipple changes Paulas story A team approach to battling breast cancer Pink Sisters Simple mastectomy and modified radical mastectomy The Long Race Beating Cancer Tumor size Weight Loss After Breast Cancer What is breast cancer? An expert explains Show more related content Associated Procedures 3D mammogram Bone scan Brachytherapy BRCA gene test Breast cancer risk assessment Breast cancer supportive therapy and survivorship Breast cancer surgery Breast MRI Breast self-exam for breast awareness Chemotherapy Chemotherapy for breast cancer Chest X-rays Complete blood count (CBC) CT scan Hormone therapy for breast cancer Lumpectomy Mammogram Mastectomy Molecular breast imaging MRI Positron emission tomography scan Precision medicine for breast cancer Radiation therapy Radiation therapy for breast cancer Sentinel node biopsy Ultrasound X-ray Show more associated procedures News from Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic Minute: Rainbows Cancer Clinic helps the LGBTQ+ community navigate breast cancer Nov. 15, 2024, 04:30 p.m. CDT A shared journey through breast cancer Oct. 31, 2024, 02:01 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic experts highlight advances in breast cancer research: Decreasing the need for chemotherapy and reducing the intensity of radiation therapy Oct. 30, 2024, 07:23 p.m. CDT The 4 types of systemic therapy for breast cancer Oct. 29, 2024, 03:00 p.m. CDT Top 10 questions about breast cancer answered Oct. 04, 2024, 02:23 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Treating breast cancer through surgery Oct. 02, 2024, 02:30 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic launches Rainbows, an LGBTQ-focused breast cancer clinic June 28, 2024, 03:15 p.m. CDT New study finds triple-negative breast cancer tumors with an increase in immune cells have lower risk of recurrence after surgery April 02, 2024, 04:31 p.m. CDT Understanding triple-negative breast cancer and its treatment Jan. 04, 2024, 04:00 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic's DNA study reveals BRCA1 mutations in 3 sisters, prompts life-changing decisions Nov. 04, 2023, 11:00 a.m. CDT Beyond BRCA1/2: Pinpointing the risk of inherited breast cancer genes Oct. 28, 2023, 11:00 a.m. CDT 17-gene signature linked to remission after triple-negative breast cancer treatment Oct. 21, 2023, 11:00 a.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Does soy increase breast cancer risk? Oct. 17, 2023, 06:30 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: The importance of supplemental screenings for dense breasts Sept. 26, 2023, 02:28 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Why Black women should consider screening for breast cancer earlier June 15, 2023, 04:30 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Why some patients with breast tumors could possibly avoid a mastectomy April 18, 2023, 01:30 p.m. CDT Patients with multiple tumors in one breast may not need mastectomy, research finds March 28, 2023, 09:00 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic researchers identify women with twice the risk of cancer in both breasts Jan. 19, 2023, 02:58 p.m. CDT Show more news from Mayo Clinic Products & Services A Book: Beyond Breast Cancer Breast cancerSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departmentsCare atMayoClinic Advertisement Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. 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There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get the latest breast cancer information from Mayo Clinic delivered to your inbox. Sign up for free and receive the latest on breast cancer treatment, care and management. I would like to learn more about: The latest on newly diagnosed breast cancer Up-to-date information on recurrent breast cancer Specialized treatment information for high risk breast cancer Email address ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Subscribe Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Thank you for subscribing! You'll soon start receiving the latest health information you requested in your inbox. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry CausesThe exact cause of most breast cancers isn't known. Researchers have found things that increase the risk of breast cancer. These include hormones, lifestyle choices and things in the environment. But it's not clear why some people who don't have any factors get cancer, yet others with risk factors never do. It's likely that breast cancer happens through a complex interaction of your genetic makeup and the world around you. Healthcare professionals know that breast cancer starts when something changes the DNA inside cells in the breast tissue. A cell's DNA holds the instructions that tell a cell what to do. In healthy cells, the DNA gives instructions to grow and multiply at a set rate. The instructions tell the cells to die at a set time. In cancer cells, the DNA changes give different instructions. The changes tell the cancer cells to make many more cells quickly. Cancer cells can keep living when healthy cells would die. This causes too many cells. The cancer cells might form a mass called a tumor. The tumor can grow to invade and destroy healthy body tissue. In time, cancer cells can break away and spread to other parts of the body. When cancer spreads, it's called metastatic cancer. The DNA changes that lead to breast cancer most often happen in the cells that line the milk ducts. These ducts are tubes designed to carry milk to the nipple. Breast cancer that starts in the ducts is called invasive ductal carcinoma. Breast cancer also can start in cells in the milk glands. These glands, called lobules, are designed to make breast milk. Cancer that happens in the lobules is called invasive lobular carcinoma. Other cells in the breast can become cancer cells, though this isn't common. Risk factorsFactors that may increase the risk of breast cancer include: A family history of breast cancer. If a parent, sibling or child had breast cancer, your risk of breast cancer is increased. The risk is higher if your family has a history of getting breast cancer at a young age. The risk also is higher if you have multiple family members with breast cancer. Still, most people diagnosed with breast cancer don't have a family history of the disease. A personal history of breast cancer. If you've had cancer in one breast, you have an increased risk of getting cancer in the other breast. A personal history of breast conditions. Certain breast conditions are markers for a higher risk of breast cancer. These conditions include lobular carcinoma in situ, also called LCIS, and atypical hyperplasia of the breast. If you've had a breast biopsy that found one of these conditions, you have an increased risk of breast cancer. Beginning your period at a younger age. Beginning your period before age 12 increases your risk of breast cancer. Beginning menopause at an older age. Beginning menopause after age 55 increases the risk of breast cancer. Being female. Women are much more likely than men are to get breast cancer. Everyone is born with some breast tissue, so anyone can get breast cancer. Dense breast tissue. Breast tissue is made up of fatty tissue and dense tissue. Dense tissue is made of milk glands, milk ducts and fibrous tissue. If you have dense breasts, you have more dense tissue than fatty tissue in your breasts. Having dense breasts can make it harder to detect breast cancer on a mammogram. If a mammogram showed that you have dense breasts, your risk of breast cancer is increased. Talk with your healthcare team about other tests you might have in addition to mammograms to look for breast cancer. Drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer. Having your first child at an older age. Giving birth to your first child after age 30 may increase the risk of breast cancer. Having never been pregnant. Having been pregnant one or more times lowers the risk of breast cancer. Never having been pregnant increases the risk. Increasing age. The risk of breast cancer goes up as you get older. Inherited DNA changes that increase cancer risk. Certain DNA changes that increase the risk of breast cancer can be passed from parents to children. The most well-known changes are called BRCA1 and BRCA2. These changes can greatly increase your risk of breast cancer and other cancers, but not everyone with these DNA changes gets cancer. Menopausal hormone therapy. Taking certain hormone therapy medicines to control the symptoms of menopause may increase the risk of breast cancer. The risk is linked to hormone therapy medicines that combine estrogen and progesterone. The risk goes down when you stop taking these medicines. Obesity. People with obesity have an increased risk of breast cancer. Radiation exposure. If you received radiation treatments to your chest as a child or young adult, your risk of breast cancer is higher. PreventionThings you can do to lower your risk of breast cancer Breast self-exam Enlarge image Close Breast self-exam Breast self-exam To perform a breast self-exam for breast awareness, follow a pattern that ensures you cover your entire breast. For instance, imagine that your breasts are divided into equal wedges, like pieces of a pie. Move your fingers along each piece in toward your nipple. Making changes in your daily life may help lower your risk of breast cancer. Try to: Ask about breast cancer screening. Talk with your doctor or other healthcare professional about when to begin breast cancer screening. Ask about the benefits and risks of screening. Together, you can decide what breast cancer screening tests are right for you. Become familiar with your breasts through breast self-exam for breast awareness. You may choose to become familiar with your breasts by occasionally inspecting them during a breast self-exam for breast awareness. If there is a new change, a lump or something not typical in your breasts, report it to a healthcare professional right away. Breast awareness can't prevent breast cancer. But it may help you to better understand the look and feel of your breasts. This might make it more likely that you'll notice if something changes. Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink to no more than one drink a day, if you choose to drink. For breast cancer prevention, there is no safe amount of alcohol. So if you're very concerned about your breast cancer risk, you may choose to not drink alcohol. Exercise most days of the week. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week. If you haven't been active lately, ask a healthcare professional whether it's OK and start slowly. Limit menopausal hormone therapy. Combination hormone therapy may increase the risk of breast cancer. Talk with a healthcare professional about the benefits and risks of hormone therapy. Some people have symptoms during menopause that cause discomfort. These people may decide that the risks of hormone therapy are acceptable in order to get relief. To reduce the risk of breast cancer, use the lowest dose of hormone therapy possible for the shortest amount of time. Maintain a healthy weight. If your weight is healthy, work to maintain that weight. If you need to lose weight, ask a healthcare professional about healthy ways to lower your weight. Eat fewer calories and slowly increase the amount of exercise. Medicines and operations for those a high risk of breast cancerIf you have a high risk of breast cancer, you might consider other options to lower the risk. You might have a high risk if you have a family history of breast cancer. Your risk also might be higher if you have a history of precancerous cells in the breast tissue. Talk about your risk with your healthcare team. Your team might have options for lowering your risk, such as: Preventive medicines. Using estrogen-blocking medicines can lower the risk of breast cancer in those who have a high risk. Options include medicines called selective estrogen receptor modulators and aromatase inhibitors. These medicines also are used as hormone therapy treatment for breast cancer. These medicines carry a risk of side effects. For this reason, they're only used in those who have a very high risk of breast cancer. Discuss the benefits and risks with your healthcare team. Preventive surgery. If you have a very high risk of breast cancer, you may consider having surgery to lower the risk of breast cancer. One option might be surgery to remove the breasts, called prophylactic mastectomy. Another option is surgery to remove the ovaries, called prophylactic oophorectomy. This operation lowers the risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer. More InformationBreast cancer care at Mayo ClinicBreast cancer chemopreventionGenetic testing for breast cancer: Psychological and social impact By Mayo Clinic Staff