The article revealed yesterday in a New York Times op-ed that Angelina Jolie underwent a double mastectomy, a serious preventive step, due to the medical and personal risks that outweigh the possibility of this being true for every woman. Telling her story may help other women learn more about the genes that underlie all breast cancers, but some women may have equally difficult decisions to make with the available tests and benefits for them.
She said that carrying a gene called BRCA1 significantly increases the odds of developing ovarian or breast cancer. Even though she hadn’t been diagnosed with breast cancer, she underwent a procedure called a double prophylactic mastectomy, which means she had both of her breasts removed.
You can learn more about BRCA2 and BRCA1 mutations, which also increase the risk of breast cancer, at the National Cancer Institute’s website. Additionally, these mutations are also associated with a significantly higher likelihood of developing breast cancer in men. (Output)
These women are good candidates for prophylactic mastectomy. They are at a much higher risk of ovarian cancer due to their mother’s death at an early age from ovarian cancer. Women who have had ovarian or breast cancer, or who have at least two close relatives (such as a daughter, sister, or mother) with these cancers, are also at a higher risk. Among women who have inherited a harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, 60 out of 100 will develop breast cancer. In the general population, about 12 out of 100 women will develop breast cancer at some point during their lives.
Some women, such as Jolie, choose to undergo preventive mastectomy before they are ever diagnosed with breast cancer, even if a tumor is only present in one breast and others opt for the removal of both breasts.
According to an article in the journal Current Oncology Reports, the prevalence of preventive mastectomy increased twofold from 1998 to 2005 and is probably continuing to rise, partly due to the increased utilization of genetic tests for BRCA1 and BRCA2.
It’s also possible for high-profile celebrities like Christina Applegate, Sharon Osbourne, and Angelina Jolie, who are at a high risk of developing breast cancer, to undergo a prophylactic mastectomy because they are aware that more women are choosing this option after finding a tumor in one breast.
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According to researchers, women who opted for prophylactic mastectomy actually had a very low risk of developing breast cancer in healthy breasts. The study from the University of Michigan showed that nearly three-quarters of women who chose to undergo this procedure did not have a medical reason for doing so. It is important to take some time to consider your options if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
According to a new study from the University of Pittsburgh, most women who underwent a prophylactic mastectomy, which is a preventive mastectomy, were very worried about facing cancer again. This study indicates that the fear was eased for many women who chose to undergo this procedure. About 90% of the women who had a preventive mastectomy said that they were glad they made the best personal choices for their mental and physical health. It is not accurate to say that their decisions were wrong.
Women diagnosed with breast cancer should receive enhanced and expanded information about their chances of developing cancer in the opposite breast, along with the benefits and drawbacks of preventive mastectomy, as per a study conducted by the University of Michigan. While all surgical interventions have the possibility of complications, the recuperation period for mastectomy, and potentially reconstructive surgery if opted for, usually incurs a temporary burden.
Having a knowledgeable and trustworthy expert to talk over the important part of decision-making process is crucial in order to make the decision. Taking the time to make the decision is as empowering as making the decision itself. It is important to have as much information as possible before choosing prophylactic mastectomy.