For women who have the cancer gene, removal of healthy ovaries is one of the most beneficial steps they can take, Newsmax Health reports. New research suggests having the operation as young as 35.

Women who inherit either of two faulty BRCA genes are at much higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer than other women, and at younger ages. Actress Angelina Jolie generated headlines last year when she had her healthy breasts removed to reduce her cancer risk.

The surgery not only lowers their chances of getting either ovarian or breast cancer. The study estimated it also can reduce women's risk of death before age 70 by 77 percent.

The new study suggests the surgery, called an oophorectomy, should be timed differently for the different genes.

For women who carry the higher-risk BRCA1, the chance of already having ovarian cancer rose from 1.5 percent at age 35 to 4 percent at age 40, said lead researcher Steven Narod, M.D., of the University of Toronto. After that, the risk jumped to 14 percent by age 50.

In contrast, the researchers said carriers of the related BRCA2 gene could safely delay surgery into their 40s. The study found only one case in a woman younger than 50.

The new study included 5,787 BRCA carriers from Canada, the U.S. and parts of Europe. Researchers tracked their health for an average of 5 1/2 years, and found 186 who eventually developed either ovarian cancer or related fallopian tube or peritoneal cancer. Ovary removal reduced cancer risk by 80 percent.

Interestingly, removing the ovaries can reduce the risk of breast cancer as well by affecting hormone levels in the body — and Dr. Narod found the surgery increased women's chances of survival even if they already had developed breast cancer.