Angelina Jolie has spoken out in the New York Times about the dangers of breast cancer and her decision, as a person at high risk, to undergo a preventative double mastectomy. Describing this as a strong, positive decision that has reduced her risk of developing the disease from 87% to 5%, she hopes it will encourage others to get tested and access the help available.
In the UK, around 50,000 women and 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Around a fifth of them die but the sooner the disease is caught the beter the chances of survival are. Two genes associated with breast cancer have been identified and can be tested for, so anyone worried about their personal risk, especially if they have a family history of the disease, would be advised to talk to their doctor about this option. Jolie has spoken about the importance of knowing she will now be there for her children although her own mother, actress Marcheline Bertrand, died from breast cancer at just 56.
Although it has claimed the lives of notable stars including Bette Davis, Coral Browne and Lynn Redgrave, breast cancer is still a taboo subject in Hollywood and Jolie is hoping that her story will help to change that. She has praised her partner, Brad Pitt, for standing by her throughout, and says she does not feel any less a woman. She is currently preparing to star in a sequel to 2010 thriller Salt.
