Jolie opts for mastectomy to avoid cancer
Superstar Angelina Jolie has revealed that she underwent a double mastectomy after learning she carried the BRCA1 gene that leads to an increased risk in breast and ovarian cancer.
The 37-year-old, who lost her mother Marcheline Bertrand, 56, in 2007 after battling ovarian cancer, finished three months of medical procedures on April 27. Jolie opted for the surgeries because the gene put her at an 87 per cent risk of developing breast cancer, reported New York Times.
“My mother fought cancer for almost a decade and died at 56. Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimise 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. During that time I have been able to keep this private and to carry on with my work,” she said.
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