In a segment of her show to be aired on Dec 5, Katie Couric explores prophylactic mastectomies as a means of preventing hereditary types of breast cancer. She speaks with 24 year old Allyn Rose, Miss District of Columbia, who, after competes in the Miss America pageant in January, will undergo a double mastectomy as a preventive measure against getting breast cancer.
Allyn shares that she would rather remove both of her breasts than risk getting cancer, a disease she is genetically predisposed to because of a gene mutation carried by the women in her family. Her mother was first diagnosed with cancer at age 27, had her right breast removed, and then found a lump in her left breast 24 years later. She died at age 51.
The discussion expands to include a breast surgeon, a woman who had gone through a preventative bilateral mastectomy and a mother and daughter who made different choices.
The show airs live tomorrow at 3PM EST on ABC.
