Breast cancer gene

That You Were Unaware About

The world was taken by a surprise when the leading Hollywood actress, mother of six, and humanitarian, Angelina Jolie, announced that she underwent a preventive mastectomy as her only resort to reduce the risk of getting genetic breast cancer. It was unbelievable news!

Reasoning for a Drastic Step

Being a lead actress in Hollywood, the wife of a leading Hollywood starlet, Brad Pitt, and the responsibility of being a humanitarian, Angelina’s drastic step of undergoing a double mastectomy came as a surprise.

However, she has had her valid reasons to opt for it.

Angelina Jolie reported that she was tested positive for a defective BRCA1 gene, which led to this drastic decision.

Her decision to go for a double mastectomy was entirely based on her act of taking a preventive measure.

She went through this difficult procedure only to reduce her potential risks of developing breast cancer, which was 87 percent. Her mother died of ovarian cancer, at the age of 56, in the year 2007.

While experts and many patients belonging to the breast cancer community praise Jolie for her act of bravery of undergoing the procedure and going public about it and raising awareness with her personal decision for good health, it is very important to understand exactly why it was the right thing to do, and why it could be a right decision for others.

While gene testing is definitely a very strong option, it is not, always, an ultimate answer to cancer.

There are certain facts about breast cancer gene testing that are not known to people.

It is very important to be aware of the facts before going for a drastic step like double mastectomy, which is likely to have severe effect on the body and mind of a woman.

There are two faulty genes, BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 – basically tumor suppressors.

When these genes function properly, they help in preventing uncontrolled growth of cells that could lead to cancerous or malignant tumors.

When these BRCA genes have defective mutations, it could cause development of genetic or hereditary ovarian and breast cancer.

Genetic mutations generally make up only about 5% to 8% of all breast cancer cases, according to recent reports.

The overpowering majority of people suffering from breast cancer don’t have the much expected BRCA mutations.

This wasn’t a usual random test for the actress, though, since her mother was also diagnosed with a typical case of ovarian cancer, which she battled bravely from a very young age. However, she succumbed to cancer at 56, and died.

It is very important to note that neither genetic testing is a necessity nor is it recommended. However, patients who choose to do it are entirely responsible for their own reasoning.

The test is very expensive, though there may be insurance to cover it. It is something that one has to find out before going for the test.