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'The decision was not easy': Angelina Jolie reveals that she has had a double mastectomy after learning she had an 87% risk of breast cancer
Angelina made the decision after discovering she is a carrier of the BRCA1 gene
Star completed three months of secret procedures on April 27
Surgery was successful and chances of getting breast cancer have decreased from 87% to less than 5%
Angelina decided to have the surgery for her children, after her own mother died of ovarian cancer aged 56
Actress praised her fiancé Brad Pitt for being 'so loving and supportive'
Angelina Jolie has revealed that she has undergone a double mastectomy.
The actress was healthy but made the decision after learning that she is a carrier of the BRCA1 cancer gene and had an 87 percent chance of contracting breast cancer.
The 37-year-old's mother Marcheline Bertrand died at the age of 56 from ovarian cancer, which Angelina has stated she has a 50 percent chance of getting.
Writing in the New York Times, Angelina said: 'My doctors estimated that I had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer, although the risk is different in the case of each woman.
'Only a fraction of breast cancers result from an inherited gene mutation. Those with a defect in BRCA1 have a 65 percent risk of getting it, on average.
'Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much I could. I made a decision to have a preventive double mastectomy. I started with the breasts, as my risk of breast cancer is higher than my risk of ovarian cancer, and the surgery is more complex.
'On April 27, I finished the three months of medical procedures that the mastectomies involved. During that time I have been able to keep this private and to carry on with my work.'
The star's surgery was successful and doctors say Angelina's chances of developing breast cancer have now lowered to less than five per cent.
'I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy,' she wrote. 'But it is one I am very happy that I made.
'My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 percent to under 5 percent. I can tell my children that they don’t need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer.'
Angelina praised the support her fiancé Brad Pitt and their children, Maddox, 11, Pax, nine, Zahara, eight, Shiloh, six, and four-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, gave her during treatment.
'It is reassuring that they see nothing that makes them uncomfortable. They can see my small scars and that’s it. Everything else is just Mommy, the same as she always was. And they know that I love them and will do anything to be with them as long as I can.
'I am fortunate to have a partner, Brad Pitt, who is so loving and supportive. So to anyone who has a wife or girlfriend going through this, know that you are a very important part of the transition. Brad was at the Pink Lotus Breast Center, where I was treated, for every minute of the surgeries.
'We managed to find moments to laugh together. We knew this was the right thing to do for our family and that it would bring us closer. And it has.'
Angelina assured that having the double mastectomy hasn't changed the way she feels about herself and her womanliness, and added that results of reconstructive surgery 'can be beautiful'.
'On a personal note, I do not feel any less of a woman,' she said. 'I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.'
In addition, the brave star hopes that she can encourage other women to be informed and consider their options. 'I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience. Cancer is still a word that strikes fear into people’s hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness. 'But today it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action.' Angelina added: 'For any woman reading this, I hope it helps you to know you have options. I want to encourage every woman, especially if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, to seek out the information and medical experts who can help you through this aspect of your life, and to make your own informed choices.' |
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Post time 7-5-2013 04:12 PM
Post time 7-5-2013 04:16 PM
