Angelina Jolie says she had double mastectomy

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Angelina Jolie says that she has had a preventive double mastectomy after learning she carried a gene that made it extremely likely she would get breast cancer.

The Oscar-winning actress and partner to Brad Pitt made the announcement in the form of an op-ed she authored for Tuesday's New York Times ( ) under the headline, "My Medical Choice." She writes that between early February and late April she completed three months of surgical procedures to remove both breasts.http://nyti.ms/17o4A0f

Jolie, 37, writes that she made the choice with thoughts of her six children after watching her own mother, actress Marcheline Bertrand, die too young from cancer.

"My mother fought cancer for almost a decade and died at 56," Jolie writes. "She held out long enough to meet the first of her grandchildren and to hold them in her arms. But my other children will never have the chance to know her and experience how loving and gracious she was."

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20130514/DA690BH02.html

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Actress Angelina Jolie arrives for the British Gala premiere for the film 'Salt', at a central London cinema, in this Aug. 16, 2010 file photo. Jolie authored an op-ed for Tuesday’s May 14, 2013 New York Times where she writes that in April she finished three months of surgical procedures to remove both breasts as a preventive measure. She says she’s kept the process private but is writing about it now with hopes she can help other women. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, File)

[shawn703]

1. Question for our medical experts

I'm sure this procedure as a preventative measure is pretty rare, since I would be surprised if insurance would pay for it unless there was cancer present - but is this something a doctor would recommend to a patient simply based on genetics?

[lunatica]

4. She had an 87% chance of getting breast cancer before surgery and 5% now

They pinpointed the bad gene. I think that will end up being a huge help to a lot of women who have relatives with breast cancer. This is actually really good news and I'm glad she's talking about it.

[Deep13]

53. Dear 5%: you're next.

20 years ago she'd be screwed. I'm glad viable options exist now.

[Greybnk48]

19. Yes it is.

As a former surgical tech and someone that knows a family of women who have had this done, it is recommended when necessary. And I think insurance covers it, but someone else may know the true answer to that part of it.

[Dash87]

23. Not rare, and yes - it's done for high risk patients

Otherwise, they will more than likely get cancer.

[zazen]

31. women are getting it done for DCIS plus other risk factors

Extreme breast density combined w/ certain types of precursor lesions are about as high risk as the gene (estimates of 60-70% by one Mayo clinic study), and certainly as high risk as family history, and if you want a double mastectomy with reconstruction in those circumstances it's typically covered, even though, eg, no one's found anything amiss in your contralateral breast.

Some people (docs and patients) are arguing that this is overtreatment and hysteria, but as long as women are informed as to the latest research, I'm glad we can freely make whatever decision feels most right for us.

Now that one can get pretty amazing cosmetic outcomes, the whole terror-that-I'm-losing-my-femininity stuff has largely abated.

[byeya]

35. There are a few lineages that contain gene[s] that up the risk of breast cancer. Ashkenazi women

are one of these groups. If the gene[s] is not present, the risk is no greater than the general population Fortunately, a fairly inexpensive test is now available to determine if you are at risk.
I think it's a positive thing for people in the public eye to make known these seldom-discussed but vitally important matters.

[Yo_Mama]

36. Certain people have genes which make them highly susceptible to various forms of cancer

There's one gene out there, for example, which makes it very likely that you will develop kidney cancer. There's at least one which makes it almost certain that you will develop colon cancer.

The gene complex she had makes it extremely likely that she would develop breast cancer and greatly increases the risk of ovarian cancer. A lot of insurances will pay for such surgery for younger women, especially since some states require coverage:
http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/PreventiveSurgery.html
http://breastreconstructionnetwork.com/will-my-insurance-company-pay-for-a-mastectomy-to-reduce-my-risk-of-breast-cancer/

There is a federal law which requires that if insurance covers the mastectomy, it must also cover reconstructive surgery.

It is much cheaper to do preventative mastectomies than to treat disseminated cancer, so generally most insurance cos in the US do cover this for higher risk individuals.

[uppityperson]

38. A friend had this done in her 30% as pretty much every female relative older than that had had nasty

type of breast cancer. She was bummed about the whole situation and ended up not being able to get prosthesis after also. But dramatically decreased her chance of getting the cancer.

[geek_sabre]

2. I guess that's why she was acting a fool in that Oscar dress

No one talked about anything but her leg. That would have been after the mastectomies, but before the implants.

[lunatica]

3. That's an incredibly nasty thing to say

[denem]

6. And a lie.

The mastectomy was done over the past two months.

[geek_sabre]

10. From the NY times OpEd (her words

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/opinion/my-medical-choice.html?hp

Feb 2: nipple delay
Two weeks later (Feb 16-Feb 22): Breast tissue removed, fillers added
9 weeks later (April 5th-12) reconstruction + implants.

2012 oscars: Feb 26

So... perhaps the dress/leg thing was purely a coincidence. Maybe she's always been wacky at the shows (I've never noticed). But it falls in the timeline I proposed.

[Bucky]

16. Subthread is useless without pictures. Here's her "leg dress" moment(s)

[Baitball Blogger]

26. Smart lady.

Very experienced in the art of deception.

Very brave, too.

[Melinda]

43. Her surgery was done in 2013 - your "Oscar" moment was 2012. Your timeline & posts...

are what's wacky - not Jolie. Your posts on this matter are incredibly insensitive and disrespectful, and seriously make DU suck today.

[psychopomp]

50. Oversensitive, reactive comments are what make DU suck

...and it's been this way for years.

[geek_sabre]

7. Just an observation. At the time, I thought it was very much out of character; this would explain it

I think she made the best possible decision for herself and her family in having the mastectomy. It was incredibly brave of her to make an intensely private decision public. I can only hope that some other women who find themselves in similar genetic circumstances will see her account, and be open to this option.

[lunatica]

9. Saying she made a fool of herself is "just an observation"?

Sure, I get it. You were just claiming you admire her right?

[geek_sabre]

14. It was talked about incessantly for a couple of weeks after. Because it was funny/strange for her

There were memes.

[Locut0s]

59. Funny i thought that was incredibly sexy...

Don't know why she 'made a fool' of herself. It was a bit showy sure but then she is a huge celebrity.

[denem]

5. Popular Celebrity Culture - WTF?

I demand the Admins to delete this. Not news. Stupid. Stupid know-nothings. Fame is not LBN.

[lunatica]

8. I'm glad I read the story

I think it's very hopeful for women who have a family history of breast cancer. Many women opt for this surgery but they don't go public with it which is very important. Someone as famous as Jolie is doing a great service!

[Yo_Mama]

37. Many women don't know that testing is available or about the option

I think this is an important story to publicize. Maybe it doesn't belong in LBN, but could it be moved to GD?

[Eleanors38]

40. I agree. These "tracer" genes can happen to anyone, it seems.

[Warren Stupidity]

11. Actually it is all over the news everywhere. And good for her for being so open.

Women with this gene are faced with really tough choices. A dear friend of mine died just over a year ago at 31, she had this gene, her mom died in her 50s from breast cancer, and she might have had a long and heathy life had she known earlier that this option was available.

[Bucky]

15. "I demand" - I think you can request, but demands only count if you have hostages.

[denem]

17. I have two posts killed in LBN

about the No. 1 YouTube guy being banned at home on Korean TV.

"I demand" was tongue in cheek.

[Marrah_G]

30. Actually, this is about women and breast cancer

And frankly, I think it is very good to have celebrities, especially one known for her appearance come out and say that she had this procedure done. It's a very traumatic thing for a woman and many women put their own lives in jeopardy because they fear the stigma, the trauma to their self image so much.

Having the media attention on this is a good thing.

[uppityperson]

39. It is about women and breast cancer, not about popular celebrity culture. What she had for

breakfast, where she went on vacation, now that isn't LBN worthy.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

51. lol

i see the admins havent rushed to attend to your demands

[JustinBulletin]

12. It is not as rare as you may think....

I once worked with a woman who had lost both of her sisters, mother, aunts and grandmother to breast cancer. When she was in her early forties she decided to do the same thing. This was years ago around 1980. She had already had years of biopsy test on cysts in her breast that had always been benign. She was tired of "waiting for the other shoe to drop" so she had a double mastectomy and implants put in later after she healed when her doctor thought it was safe. He did the surgery because he believed she would eventually develop breast cancer and wanted to give her peace of mind. I saw her years later and I don't think she ever regretted doing it. It was an easy decision in her case, and I think she probably had a better quality of life not having to worry all the time and go through the invasive biopsy tests every few months.

[Walk away]

41. I worked with a women who's Mom and Grandmother both died from BC.

Her Father and Husband are both surgeons. He Dad performed the surgery. She did it for her kids.

[midnight]

13. It would be great if all women could afford preventative health care...

[abelenkpe]

24. +1000 nt

[midnight]

25. She could indicate to congress how pricey this is, and how it's not affordable with the way the

insurance industry has created all these out of pocket expenses... She could be a great force for examining the difference between millions health care and those who are not....

[peace13]

28. That's what I tell my Medicare Mother....

...Mom wouldn't it be nice if every woman in the US could have a lumpectomy and radiation if she needed it? But mom doesn't get it. You see, medical care is a privilege and she has a right. Women who make bad choices end up with no medical care...go figure!

[midnight]

33. I think your explanation is spot on... The insurance industry mantra has been selling

rationed health care.. But I see the use of dollars being put into providing health care as a win win for everyone... Jobs, economy, better health.... We need to get passed this austerity nonsense that seems to sell like hot cakes from the top down.

[maddiemom]

29. Ahem..........Wouldn't it?

[midnight]

34. Yes.....

[Occulus]

69. But PROpaganda makes SENSE, so we don't.

And yes, I am saying exactly what you think I'm saying.

[Walk away]

42. +1,000,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tova]

18. brca2

Insurance does cover the surgeries. I have a strong family history of breast/ovarian cancer. I was tested for the gene in 2004 and came up positive for Brca2. The genetic counselors and doctors all said I needed to have the surgeries. The surgeries and recovery were extremely painful. I did not have cancer. The insurance had to cover both the surgery and reconstruction.

[appacom]

56. Thanks for sharing your experience and courageous choice. Hope you're doing well now.

[Faygo Kid]

20. Wow. That's a courageous decision.

Her father is a total right-wing asshole, but I give it up to her for this decision.

[mainer]

21. A wise decision on her part. It allows you to control the circumstances of surgery

When it's preventive, it can be done without extensive resection, and implants can be inserted to minimize disfigurement.

[Flora]

22. My goodness, how times have changed..

I'm old enough to remember the outrage when Nancy Reagan had her breast removed after the discover of a cancerous tumor. Many in the medical field claimed her decision would scare other women into avoiding detection procedures and Rose Kushner, the executive director of the Breast Cancer Advisory Center in Kensington, Md., went so far as to say that Mrs. Reagan's decision ''set us back 10 years.''

I'm happy that we have evolved over the last 20 or so years and recognize a women's right to made decisions concerning her own health and body.

[hrmjustin]

27. I wish her the best!

[Bay Boy]

32. I'm a guy but I have to assume deciding to have your breasts removed...

...is a VERY hard thing to do. But with an 87% chance of getting cancer I suppose that makes that decision easier to make.
but still...

[neversaydie]

66. It would be a tough decision...

but I'd do the same if the risk was high. I'd also do the same as an alternative to a lumpectomy. My mom, her sister and mother, my sister, my great aunt, a close friend, all had breast cancer. My mom, thank god, survived and is still with us. She had a mastectomy in 1989 and she's still here. But her sister and my close friend both chose lumpectomy as opposed to mastectomy. Both ended up having to go back in to find that the cancer spread. Both ended up dying from the cancer that had spread to their lungs, liver and brain.

Angelina has children and so do I. I want to be here for my children, so, yeah... mastectomy would be my choice.

[Beacool]

44. My heart goes out to her and any woman who had to make such a tough decision.

I wish her many healthy years to come.

[AngryAmish]

45. This makes me sad.

Fuck cancer.

[SunSeeker]

46. Preventive mastectomies allow the surgeon to save the nipples, creating an attractive result.

Unlike mastectomies necessitated by the presence of cancer, a woman undergoing a preventative mastectomy can look forward to a much better cosmetic result, including keeping her nipples, and less scarring. Once there is ductal carcinoma present, the nipples have to go, and the fake nipples they make out of your own tissues just do not look the same. Also, depending on the location of the tumor(s), the surgeon tends to leave long scars that start at the armpit and span the chest, because at that point they need to get a clean margin to save your life. And if you need to have radiation treatment, those scars will harden, as will the surrounding tissue. Hence, post-cancer reconstructive efforts often have disappointing results.

As Angelina points out, she saved her nipples, after first making sure there was no cancer in her ducts. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/opinion/my-medical-choice.html?hp I am sure she had the best plastic surgeons and her breasts look beautiful. Except now they won't kill her. To me, her decision was a no-brainer and did not involve any particular courage, just rational thought. You want to see courage? Go to a cancer ward.

[David__77]

54. I think it involved courage.

Even though the risk is high, and the cosmetic result may have been relatively good, it is not a risk-free procedure, and surely not straight-forward from a psychological standpoint - not immediately in any case.

[smirkymonkey]

47. Brave woman!

I applaud her openness about this in trying to help other women and to bring about awareness.

[Deep13]

52. Indeed, tough decision.

Made the courageous choice.

A friend of mine did that for the same reason. The docs replaced the breast material from the inside, but left the external bits.

[yurbud]

48. totally apart from whether it was necessary, I have more respect for her because of her reason

[GoneOffShore]

49. This from a friend of mine regarding this procedure....

Very disturbing that prophylactic bilateral mastectomy is being normalized -- even promoted as a viable option. Clearly there has been much effort and many many dollars invested in finding this inherited gene mutation that affects a very small percentage of women (and men) and puts them at risk for cancer(s). WHY HAVEN'T WE INVESTED THE SAME EFFORT AND DOLLARS IN RESEARCH TO PREVENT THIS DISEASE THAT KILLS 300,000 WOMEN EVERY YEAR? Let's stop normalizing mutilation and extremely toxic treatments and focus on preventing the disease from the start.

[GoneOffShore]

62. My friend has had a double mastectomy - And works in medicine.

She is studying the link between HPV and various forms of cancer.

[Dash87]

63. I'm sorry then. I must have misunderstood.

I took her statement to mean that mastectomies are somehow unnecessary, or that women should not get them.

I'll eat my crow and delete the post. I was intemperate because of the idiotic statements I've been hearing for the last 2 years.

I'm sorry.

[GoneOffShore]

64. No worries - There's a lot of stuff floating around on the 'net re this.

And it's easy when an issue this important comes along to get upset by something that is possibly vaguely worded.

But, if you want light entertainment, just to relieve the tension as it were, check out the Kitchen Nightmares meltdown with Amy's Baking Company in Scottsdale - An intertubes sensation!

[neversaydie]

67. not sure I agree completely...

but I get it, really. women shouldn't have to make such a drastic choice, and they wouldn't have to if more research and preventive treatments

[DeSwiss]

55. K&Ring....

...for a woman's right to make decisions concerning her body and her health.

- No matter what part of her body it is......

[spiderpig]

57. OK Everybody. When I grew up, breast cancer was whispered about.

Among women! My mother would say (name) had a mastectomy and couldn't wear sleeveless dresses anymore, because the surgeons removed all the arm muscles to make sure they "got it all".

I grew up feeling it was the most horrible thing ever to go through. Flame away, but that was the thinking of the time. 1960s.

While my sister and I don't have the gene, we know many people who do. So back off on AJ. There are a lot of other people to spew your venom at.

[christx30]

58. Good

Reduce your risk of cancer. Stay alive and be with your kids. If my wife was found with that gene, I'd be behind her 100% in getting it done, if she wanted it done.
To hell with cancer.

[Bombero1956]

60. My wife had this surgery 2 1/2 years ago

Right after finishing her 6 rounds of chemo for a stage 2 ovarian cancer diagnosis. She had the genetic testing done just before getting the cancer news. We discussed it and decided that the best course of action was breast removal and reconstructive surgery. She recently had a follow up CT scan and blood work and it appears she's still cancer free for which I'm grateful. This is the doctor who did my wife's surgery.

http://www.masslive.com/living/index.ssf/2013/05/area_surgeon_steven_schonholz_specializes_in_identifying_women_with_brca_mutation_for_breast_cancer.html

[AnnieBW]

65. I don't think that I could have done that

I have a lot of respect for this kind of courage. Face it, she makes a very good living on how she looks, and her breasts are a big part of that. If I was in the same position, I don't think that I could do that. Hell, I think for a living and I don't think that I could do it.

My mom is a breast cancer survivor, but it wasn't the least of her health problems. She caught it early with a mammogram and had a lumpectomy. Hers came from taking Provera, not genetics.

[neversaydie]

68. can I just say one more thing....

and don't take this the wrong way, but I've always found my "girls" to be a bit of a pain... most of the time. Hard to find the right bra size, bras don't last that long, they're expensive. I can't go bra-less because it's uncomfortable; not because I give a damn what anyone thinks, but it's just more comfortable to have those puppies restrained.

Other that their most beautiful and amazing function which allowed me to nurse both of my children, which is an incredible experience that I'm fortunate to have had, they can be bothersome.

is it just me?