Costs
The costs of a mastectomy amount to several thousand euros, depending on the complexity of the procedure, complications that arise and the length of the inpatient stay. In addition, the costs vary depending on the clinic performing the procedure. While a mastectomy in men (due to gynecomastia) is comparatively inexpensive (approx.
2. 000-4. 000€) for purely cosmetic reasons, the costs for a cosmetic breast reduction in women are on average approx.
4. 000-7. 000€.
Due to special additional procedures such as lymph node removal, the costs of a mastectomy for breast cancer are even higher. In such cases, however, the costs are always covered by health insurance. Whether the costs of a mastectomy are covered by statutory or private health insurance or have to be borne by the patient himself/herself depends on whether there is a medical indication for the operation or whether the operation should be performed for purely cosmetic reasons.
In the case of benign or malignant tumors of the breast, as well as prophylactically (see below) if necessary, the mastectomy including the preliminary examinations, the inpatient stay and the aftercare is always covered by the health insurance. Even if it can be proven that a breast reduction has a medical indication, e.g. due to chronic back pain, the operation can be paid or subsidized by the health insurance company. In contrast, gynecomastia (feminization of the breast) in men and surgery in trans men usually only has a cosmetic indication. In this case, the patient must pay for the operation and the inpatient stay.
What is a prophylactic mastectomy and how useful is it?
A prophylactic mastectomy is the (bilateral) removal of the healthy breast in women with a high risk of familial breast cancer. A prominent example of this is Angelina Jolie, who had both breasts removed as a preventive measure a few years ago. If there is an accumulation of breast cancer in a family and women of young age are already suffering from it, a genetic examination can be performed.
In the presence of a so-called BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation (BRCA = breast cancer gene), the risk of an affected woman suffering from breast cancer in her lifetime is up to 80%. Such gene mutations are inherited from mother or father to their offspring and are the cause of up to 5% of all breast cancer cases. If an appropriate mutation is detected, a prophylactic bilateral removal of the breast can be recommended to affected women at a young age, before malignant tumors can develop. Since this mutation also increases the risk of developing ovarian cancer by up to 60%, removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes is also recommended after family planning is complete. However, in a healthy woman without evidence of such a genetic defect, there is no justification for a purely prophylactic mastectomy.
