Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie

Subject: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 May 13 - 12:31 PM

In an op/ed piece in the New York Times today Angelina Jolie wrote about undergoing prophylactic surgery in the face of very high odds that she would develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Her mother died at 56, and Jolie inherited the gene that makes the probability so high, calculated to be 87%.

She also has a very high risk for ovarian cancer, so I won't be surprised in the future to learn of an hysterectomy or some sort of modified surgery to do with preventing ovarian cancer.

The point was made in a discussion this morning on NPR that with genetic research, there area few things that we know, such as this kind of cancer risk, that have "actionable" aspects. Women can be tested, and can choose to act before it hits.

I've followed for years the courageous struggle of several of our Mudcat members, in particular, LilyFestre who had ovarian cancer. Her growth through the process and her advocacy today are what convince women to check into these things sooner rather than later, and to act if they need to.

Angelina Jolie is in the odd position of living her life in public, and at times she comes across as a pampered little rich girl. But there is substance to this young woman, and I suspect this move and her public acknowledgement of her choice may just save a few lives in the world. Good work!

SRS

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: alanabit
Date: 14 May 13 - 02:41 PM

Like you I would wish any woman well in this situation. Thumbs up to Angelina Jolie and indeed to any woman facing these difficult choices.

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: michaelr
Date: 14 May 13 - 03:22 PM

A courageous chice. I'll bet Brad is bummed, though.

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: gnu
Date: 14 May 13 - 03:25 PM

Good on her! If Brad is bummed, BAD ON HIM!

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: gnu
Date: 14 May 13 - 03:26 PM

That would be the Pitts!

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: catspaw49
Date: 14 May 13 - 03:30 PM

From what I know of Brad Pitt, I would seriously doubt if would be anything except supportive.


Spaw

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 14 May 13 - 04:13 PM

It was brave of her to speak out like that. It will hopefully encourage and reassure other women in the same situation. I can't imagine how I'd feel if told I had the gene for this. Good for her, and best wishes to all catters who are battling cancer.

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: Greg F.
Date: 14 May 13 - 04:45 PM

at times she comes across as a pampered little rich girl

At times?

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: gnu
Date: 14 May 13 - 05:15 PM

Oh gosh. This is about her doing good. No need to trash her... you don't even know her.

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: Greg F.
Date: 14 May 13 - 06:05 PM

Well, then there's another way to look at this decision for radical surgery which is not ............. well, never mind.

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 14 May 13 - 06:22 PM

Is this elective surgery available without charge for the poor?

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 14 May 13 - 08:13 PM

There was a discussion tonight on Newsnight involving a woman who had made the same decision as Ms Jolie and a (male) cancer specialist (I don't know exactly why I told you he was male). The double mastectomy reduces the prospect of developing breast cancer from around 90% to around 2%. The specialist pointed out the alternative route for women with the cancer gene: to undergo frequent, enhanced screening, involving scans and mammograms every six months.

A couple of things. The last time I read about mammograms, they didn't sound ultra-reliable to me. And what Richard said. The genetic testing (at the very least for women with family histories of breast or ovarian cancer) should be easily available, and encouraged (just as important). So should the surgery be readily available, if women elect to have it. Having just had surgery myself, on my spine, which was described on my discharge notes as "elective", I find the term to be very disturbing. Had I not had this "elective surgery" there had been every prospect that I would have been significantly and painfully disabled for the rest of my life. I don't much like the idea that, by going for "elective" surgery, I was lumping myself in with facelifts and cellulite removal. For women with the defective gene, sure, the surgery is elective. So was sitting under the sword of Damocles. The important thing is that all women should have unfettered choice, just as the specialist said.

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 May 13 - 09:15 PM

interesting, SRS. I pretty much agree with you and Spaw.

In the fantasy series, Darkover, by Marion Zimmer Bradley, warrior women, who are expert archers, elect to have the breast on the bow side taken off so as not to impede their drawing the bow. Rog says I am mixing up authors and books, but regardless they did it for the good of all as it increased their rate of victory. Her characters are so well developed, the archers offer someone to look up to, in that world, imo.

Seems to me Jolie, in our own world, is offering something similar for girls and women facing some real challenges.

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 May 13 - 12:04 AM

There was a good discussion on one of the news programs today. In the U.S., a law was passed a couple of years ago that says that if an insurance company is paying for the mastectomy, then they also have to pay for the reconstruction. And most companies seem to pay for the mastectomy. It simply wasn't fair to leave women hanging, or having to pay for the last part of the process on their own. Many couldn't.

A breast cancer research center promotion ad that I just ran across. It speaks volumes.

SRS

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: GUEST,sciencegeek
Date: 15 May 13 - 10:19 AM

it's not that long ago that cancer was considered an absolute death sentence. My husband lost a cousin to ovarian cancer - leaving behind a young son. Thankfully, she had a sister who was able and willing to take him into her family. As happy a story ending as you could get under the circumstances.

Until there is a way to actually repair genetic damage - or at least counteract it- there needs to be "physical" therapies - usually surgery- to minimize the occurance or spread of the cancer. Removal of a breast or testicle may be the only way at this time, so it is good to bring this out into an open forum. Figure out what really matters in the end.

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: Mrrzy
Date: 15 May 13 - 11:36 AM

Very brave of her. Should help a LOT of women who define themselves (having been taught to) by their boobs. Seriously good on her. Must have been a sad and difficult decision. Hope it works.

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 May 13 - 12:42 PM

A hard choice, but life is preferable.

She is a woman who is trying to improve life in the third world, and I wish her a long and successful life.

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: Pete Jennings
Date: 15 May 13 - 12:44 PM

Brave lady.

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: jacqui.c
Date: 15 May 13 - 03:47 PM

Not a decision that is easy to make. Hopefully Ms Jolie telling about her experience may help other women in similar situations. She is using her celebrity to publicise something that needs to be out in the open. Well done that lady.

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: LilyFestre
Date: 15 May 13 - 04:15 PM

I think it was very smart on her part. VERY SMART. I also think genetic testing and preventative surgery should be available to women (men too) who's family history suggests that it's very likely cancer will develop.

Deciding to have the genetic testing alone is nerve wracking....do you REALLY want to know? Tough decision. Even harder? Going ahead with the surgery....but so, so smart.

Michelle

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 May 13 - 08:55 PM

A sensible choice. And sensible to be open about it - after all it would inevitably have been ferreted out and broadcast in the media.

Is being sensible courageous in itself? Maybe. It's admirable anyway.

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: andrew e
Date: 15 May 13 - 09:25 PM

Another view:

http://www.naturalnews.com/040349_Angelina_Jolie_breast_cancer_surgery.html

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 16 May 13 - 02:22 AM

That was a dark attempt to get us to laugh at conspiracy theory health-food-freaks, wasn't it, andrew?

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 16 May 13 - 06:20 AM

There was some interesting stuff about a substance called Indole-3-Carbinol on that page: I3C and cancer prevention

Being from a family where cancer has killed women early, I find the idea of nutritional approaches to cancer prevention very interesting, and considerably preferable to that of preventative surgical intervention. I think surgery is an incredible thing where appropriate though.

As to Jolie, her body her choice.

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 May 13 - 06:31 AM

That article is a disgrace, andrew e. Take this: Cancer is not a disease you just "get" like being randomly struck by lightning. It's something you must "manage" or "prevent" day by day, meal by meal, through a lifestyle choice that involves vitamin D supplementation, nutrition, superfoods, vegetable juices...

This is pure quackery, yet in the next sentence the article condemns "cancer quackery." I suppose the irony was completely lost on the author of this piece of tripe.

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 21 May 13 - 12:34 PM

The NY Times has a good in-depth followup article on the pros and cons of breast reconstruction: No Easy Choices on Breast Reconstruction.

A friend has had difficulty with scar tissue build-up after reconstruction, but it is under control by medication. Don't know if that means she has to take the medication indefinitely.

I was "lucky" to be able to have a lumpectomy -- decided I did not want to deal with reconstruction. However, I feel that my radiation treatments (that I would not have had to have with a full mastectomy) have left me with some chronic nerve damage and possible scar tissue build-up that I feel like nobody mentioned in advance.

The issues of the possibility over-testing and over-treatment are definitely needing work, going forward.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 21 May 13 - 12:46 PM

There's also a good op-ed on The Outrageous Cost of a Gene Test for BRCA1 and BRCA2 -- the patented genes. I sure hope the Supreme Court fixes that one for us.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Prophylactic cancer surgery - Angelina Jolie
From: Joybell
Date: 21 May 13 - 06:03 PM

I made the same decision 16 years ago. Here in Australia, as a pensioner, all my treatment was free. Because my family didn't have enough affected women -- my mother, her sister and me my daughters didn't qualify for genetic testing.   They might now because it's become more affordable. I'm nagging them.
My mother had primary tumours in both breasts with a gap of several years between each cancer. Her sister had the same. My post-surgery tests showed abnormal cells in both breasts. The kind of cells that would have led to the same aggressive type of breast cancer that killed my mother.
Reconstruction surgery has problems that need to be well considered. I'm not sorry I tried it but it wasn't for me. We need those stories out there too.
Onward and upward
Joy