Thinking about my decision
Why might I choose an operation? |
People with Lynch syndrome have a higher chance of getting womb cancer, and sometimes ovarian cancer depending on which gene the variant is in.
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What are my options? |
You can choose to have an operation to remove your womb to lower the chance of getting cancer. Or you can choose not to have the operation, or wait to decide.
Most people with Lynch syndrome also have their ovaries and fallopian tubes removed at the same time as the womb. If you have a PMS2 variant, you would not need to have your ovaries and fallopian tubes removed because the chance of these cancers is similar to people who do not have Lynch syndrome.
The operation is not recommended before age 35-40 years. Before having the operation, people need to be certain they do not want to try to become pregnant.
Gene-specific guidelines for Lynch can be found on the UK Cancer Genetics Group website. It might be helpful for your doctor to look at these. |
What are the benefits of having the operation? |
The operation would lower your chance of getting womb, ovarian, fallopian tube and cervical cancer as much as possible.
If the cervix is removed, you would no longer need the ‘smear test’ for cervical screening.
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What are the disadvantages of having the operation? |
You could no longer become pregnant, if you wanted to.
Removing the ovaries would cause menopause, if it hasn’t happened naturally already. You may have some side effects of the menopause but Hormone Replacement Therapy, called HRT, can reduce the side effects. HRT should be prescribed if you have your ovaries removed before the natural menopause.
You will probably need 1 to 5 days in hospital. It usually takes about 6 to 8 weeks to recover from the operation.
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When making a decision, some people find it helpful to think about how important different outcomes are to them.
This can help make a decision that is in line with what matters to you.
If you have Lynch and are considering an operation to remove your womb (and possibly ovaries/fallopian tubes), you can tick the boxes below to show how important each of the following outcomes are to you.
This could help to support you thinking about your decision:
You can write here anything else that is important to your decision:
Click next to see your summary and questions for your doctor
