In America, where individual choice is a strong value, prophylactic mastectomy is considered an "option." Not so in France, where, according to a recent survey, few physicians and patients accept the procedure, and where under French law, individuals do not always have the final say over their bodies.
The French National Ad Hoc Committee on Hereditary, Breast, and Ovarian Cancer has gone further than any other health authority in weighing in against prophylactic mastectomy. "Interestingly, despite a probable higher efficacy, prophylactic mastectomy is only envisaged, but it is never recommended, while prophylactic oophorectomy is sometimes recommended," said Francois Eisinger, M.D., Ad Hoc Committee chair and physician at the Institute Paoli Calmettes, INSERM Research Unit in Marseille.
|
"This consultation takes on extreme importance with the probability of having a deleterious mutation," said Eisinger. Also, a 6-month period of reflection is required before proceeding with prophylactic surgery. The committee also "strongly opposed performing the surgery in women under age 30."
Although Eisinger acknowledged that Americans may view this as paternalistic, it is not really "clinical practice that rules, but the French society, through the law process that gives limit to the autonomy of individuals."
This article has been cited by other articles in HighWire Press-hosted journals:
![]() |
||||
|
Oxford University Press Privacy Policy and Legal Statement |