Angelina Jolie has double mastectomy

[Gail]

Actress Angelina Jolie had a double mastectomy as a preventative measure against coming down with cancer. He carries a gene which predispositions the carrier to an 80+% chance of getting breast cancer and higher chance of ovarian cancer.

Angelina Jolie surgery

[Guest]

Why cut em off BEFORE you have cancer? Especially when there's a higher chance that it will go to your ovaries anyway! This just seems like the height of stupidity.

The only thing I can figure, is that she fears death, very VERY much.

[joeb]

Why cut em off BEFORE you have cancer? Especially when there's a higher chance that it will go to your ovaries anyway! This just seems like the height of stupidity.

The only thing I can figure, is that she fears death, very VERY much.

Well, when you have nothing but the present live for, have that lack of hope that she has, it manifests itself in fearful behavior.

Fear makes us do things that look pretty strange to other people.

[Gail]

Why cut em off BEFORE you have cancer? Especially when there's a higher chance that it will go to your ovaries anyway! This just seems like the height of stupidity.

The only thing I can figure, is that she fears death, very VERY much.

Maybe because the chances of coming down with the cancer is drastically reduced. It's not the first time I have heard of that being done.

[Gail]

Christina Applegate also had this procedure.

You have to admit it takes much courage to do this even if you are NOT a public figure who probably depends a lot on her appearance to land work. I know that these women can do other things in life most likely, but it does do much for the general female public to dispel the notion that a woman's self-worth is tied up to how her body looks.

[Gail]

Also Sharon Osbourne, Guiliana Rancic and Kathy Bates- all beautiful women.

Seems it is not as rare a procedure as I thought!

[Guest]

Christina Applegate also had this procedure.

Ohh noooo!

[joeb]

Christina Applegate also had this procedure.

You have to admit it takes much courage to do this even if you are NOT a public figure who probably depends a lot on her appearance to land work. I know that these women can do other things in life most likely, but it does do much for the general female public to dispel the notion that a woman's self-worth is tied up to how her body looks.

Courage or desperation? I don't know, so I'll bow to your much greater knowledge of the female mind.

[Guest]

Also Sharon Osbourne, Guiliana Rancic and Kathy Bates- all beautiful women.

Seems it is not as rare a procedure as I thought!

Sounds like maybe it's become a fad. )

[phkrause]

Christina Applegate also had this procedure.

You have to admit it takes much courage to do this even if you are NOT a public figure who probably depends a lot on her appearance to land work. I know that these women can do other things in life most likely, but it does do much for the general female public to dispel the notion that a woman's self-worth is tied up to how her body looks.

Yeah they were just mentioning that on the news, that not just celebraties, but many woman have done this.

[Bravus]

Nice. Take the opportunity of what must be a wrenching decision to feel superior and pour scorn on these women.

Classy all the way.

[Guest]

Maybe you should have it done, Mr. classy. Always trying to tell somebody what they should think or say. But I've come to expect that from you. It's what you do. That's how YOU feel superior.

[Planey]

Bravus

That is exactly what I was thinking.

I wish my wife had done this 10 years previously.

She died from breast cancer five years ago.

Graeme

[phkrause]

Sorry to hear that Planey. Do you think she would've gone that route?

[Guest]

I'm sorry too, Graeme.

[Gail]

Bravus

That is exactly what I was thinking.

I wish my wife had done this 10 years previously.

She died from breast cancer five years ago.

Graeme

Has it been that long already? I remember it... praying for Jeanette and you

((((( Graeme )))))

If it was me faced with that challenge, I would do it in a heartbeat, although the prospect of it would be devastating to me. I think I would prefer it over cancer, too, if my odds were that good of coming down with it.

[cricket]

For some of us who have the BRCA gene in our families, this seems like a great option. Unfortunately, it's not a cheap procedure by any angle. Having watched my mother battle cancer three times now, it's a procedure I'm considering in the future. She's already been tested for another genetic anomaly (results came back negative) and we're waiting on the results from this test.

Ever had a pre-cancerous mole removed? If so, for the naysayers in this thread, I ask...what's the difference?

[CoAspen]

I might add, the naysayers, really have no clue about what they are talking about!. And you are correct. The fact that she chooses do be around with her children rather than take a chance and to be more concerned about their with a mother rather than her appearance or ego is to be commended. Being in the Cancer Care business, this is not an isolated decision or one that only the rich and famous can make. So, it is not about who can or can't afford but rather making the best decision given the circumstances. A women is in charge of her body, no one else.

[Planey]

Yes, Cricket - what is the difference?

And Gail, it has been nearly 5 years (August 6, 2008). Some times it feels like it happened yesterday, other times it feels like I have missed her forever.

We had not done the genetic tests (didn't know they were available) so it's very much just a hypothetical question, but given that if we had done the tests then I am sure Jeanette would have opted for the double mastectomy. It would have been the sensible (if painful and expensive) option.

Wow. I just can't follow the logic of those being so negative about this.

Graeme

[CoAspen]

Have you talked/consulted with a surgeon or oncologist? Sound like you might have. There are programs that can help with finances. Wish you all the best!!!

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Okay. Since I was a mammographer for years, I want to say something here. Women who opt to have the bilateral mastectomies are not doing it because of a "fad." As cricket mentioned, the BRCA mutation correlates highly with the incidence of breast cancer. In addition, the breast tissue does produce estrogen which increases the likelihood of breast cancer for someone with the BRCA gene. If one's mother had breast cancer, it really would behoove both the sons and the daughters to be tested for BRCA (both I and II). I saw breast cancer occur in 4 men whose mothers had had it.

Breast implants are usually done after the mastectomies, but not always. It depends on how the person's self image is affected...

[Gail]

I have seen images online where women who have had the procedure afterward instead of having reconstructive surgery paid for tattooing to cover the scar tissue.

Why not?

[cricket]

To each, her own! Whatever a woman can do to help her feel comfortable in her body after such a procedure is okay by me.

[M. T. Cross]

I have seen images online where women who have had the procedure afterward instead of having reconstructive surgery paid for tattooing to cover the scar tissue.

Why not?

That was an awesome tattoo as well. If it is the same one I am thinking of, the artist did it free of charge as well.