In a pioneering medical feat, four women underwent a novel two-in-one surgery during their Caesarean section, significantly reducing their risk of ovarian cancer. Conducted at a London hospital, the combined operation aimed to reduce the likelihood of ovarian cancer by removing the fallopian tubes and ovaries during childbirth.
The unique dual procedures, which included childbirth and ovarian cancer risk reduction surgery, were successfully performed. Prof. Adam Rosenthal, the lead surgeon at University College London Hospital, highlighted the procedure’s documented success, which is now published in the latest edition of the Obstetrics and Gynecology journal.
Among the four women who underwent this groundbreaking surgery was Claire Rodrigues Lee, 45, from London, who had her second child. Claire, who carried a hereditary cancer gene, seized the opportunity for the two-in-one surgery to reduce the imminent risk of ovarian cancer. She expressed satisfaction with her decision, underscoring the relief of not facing additional surgeries and the constant fear of ovarian cancer.
The operation, which takes about an hour, involves surgically accessing the fallopian tubes and ovaries by lifting the top of the uterus during the Caesarean incision. Although the procedure entails careful maneuvering around enlarged blood vessels due to pregnancy, experts emphasize its efficacy in minimizing ovarian cancer risk.
Claire had discovered her higher risk due to an inherited BRCA2 variant when she was 36. Struck by the daunting reality of her increased susceptibility to cancer, she opted for a preventive double mastectomy and eventually underwent this unique combined surgery during childbirth.
Her story exemplifies the power of preventive surgery for women at a high risk of ovarian cancer, raising awareness about proactive measures to mitigate cancer risk and potentially reshape treatment approaches in high-risk populations.