Angelina Jolie’s Mastectomies: What All Women Need to Know

In light of Angelina Jolie’s announcement that she underwent a double mastectomy to prevent breast cancer, Books for Better Living asked Joi Morris, a woman who went through a similar ordeal, to share what every woman needs to know about hereditary breast and ovarian cancer risk.  The following article appears on the Books for Better Living website.


Angelina Jolie has made a career of playing strong women in film. By revealing that she had undergone preventive mastectomies to reduce her breast cancer risk arising from an inherited BRCA1 mutation, she is showing her mettle in real life. She wrote:

“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.”

Jolie, who is 37 years old, is fortunate to have access to the best medical care available. She could make the many decisions required with the best information available on her cancer risks. I too faced these decisions after learning of my BRCA2 mutation. I too was fortunate to have access to excellent health care and the support of a loving husband. But the choices are nonetheless daunting and emotionally fraught and far from simple or straightforward.

When to Seek Genetic Testing

The first decision is whether to seek genetic testing. It is estimated that more than 750,000 people in the United States carry a mutation on either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, with approximately 90% of them not aware they are at risk. Jolie could act to protect her health because she knew her BRCA1 status. I took the test because my doctor recognized that my family medical history suggested a risk for a BRCA mutation. My mother is a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed at the age of 43, one warning sign of a BRCA mutation.

Should you consider genetic testing? Not everyone should be tested, but if you answer yes to any of these questions, then you should seek out a genetics professional to discuss your family history and the appropriateness of genetic testing:  Read more




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