What I wish I'd known before surgery: BRCA carriers' perspectives after bilateral salipingo-oophorectomy.

We retrospectively studied BRCA carriers with a history of prophylactic bilateral salingo-oophorectomy (PBSO) regarding: (1) their post-operative symptoms, (2) their recollection of pre-operative conversations with their health care providers regarding possible surgical side-effects and (3) what information they would have found helpful to have before surgery. Female BRCA carriers seen through the Yale Cancer Genetic Counseling Program who had PBSO were invited to participate in a questionnaire that assessed their recall of information they received pre-operatively compared with their post-operative knowledge and symptoms related to menopause, cognitive changes, loss of fertility, cancer risks, osteoporosis, heart disease, vasomotor symptoms, urogenital symptoms, sexuality and body image. The questionnaire also elicited written feedback from participants regarding their decision to have PBSO, what they wished they had known before surgery, advice for other BRCA carriers considering this surgery and advice for health care providers who counsel women about PBSO.