Introduction
Women carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations face a significantly elevated lifetime risk of developing ovarian and breast cancers. Given the high morbidity and mortality associated with ovarian cancer and the current lack of effective early detection methods, risk-reducing surgical interventions have become a cornerstone of preventive care for these “previvors” — individuals diagnosed with a hereditary cancer predisposition but not yet affected by the disease. Traditionally, risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO), involving removal of both fallopian tubes and ovaries, is recommended to substantially lower ovarian cancer risk. However, due to concerns regarding the onset of surgical menopause and its sequelae, there has been increasing adoption of a staged strategy involving risk-reducing salpingectomy (RRS) first, followed by delayed oophorectomy (DO).
This qualitative study offers critical insights into the complex interplay of clinical and psychosocial determinants shaping these previvors’ decisions on the timing of DO after initial RRS. Understanding these factors can help clinicians support shared decision-making processes aligned with patients’ individual preferences and clinical risk profiles.
