prophylactic oophorectomy
(PROH-fih-LAK-tik oh-oh-foh-REK-toh-mee)
Surgery done to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer by removing the ovaries before disease develops. Removing the ovaries lowers the amount of estrogen in the body, which may slow the growth of some types of breast cancer. Prophylactic oophorectomy is usually done in women who have a high risk of developing breast cancer and/or ovarian cancer caused by certain genetic mutations. Also called risk-reducing oophorectomy.