On Tuesday, March 24 2015, Angelina Jolie penned an opinion piece in the New York Times, detailing her decision to have her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed the previous week. This latest procedure follows on the heels of Jolie’s 2013 preventative double mastectomy. Jolie lost both her mother and aunt to cancer, and had genetic testing done that identified her as carrying the mutated BRCA gene, which greatly increases the risk of cancer in women. Her subsequent surgeries reduce her risk of cancer, and Jolie is raising public awareness of the role of genetic testing in preventing women’s cancers.
Bloomberg Nursing Professor Kelly Metcalfe, a renowned BRCA expert, has spent her research career devoted to researching the implications of having a BRCA 1/2 genetic mutation, and how early genetic testing can identify women who are at high-risk of developing breast cancer before cancer even develops. Metcalfe spoke to numerous media outlets across Canada, providing insight into risk of cancer for women with the BRCA mutation, the value of genetic testing in preventing cancer, and the “Angelina effect,” which is raising awareness among women of the BRCA mutation and how their cancer risk can be reduced.
Ovary removal ‘a huge benefit’ for those with BRCA mutation like Angelina Jolie (CBC News)
Angelina Jolie has more preventative surgery (Global News BC)
Angelina effect: Why the actress had ovaries, fallopian tubes removed (Global News)
Angelina effect: Will Jolie’s surgery to prevent ovarian cancer inspire others? (Canadian Press)
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