This article was leading the news on CNN this morning: http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/14/showbi...html?hpt=hp_t1

Actress Angelina Jolie got a preventative double mastectomy after finding out she carried a gene mutation that made her risk of breast and ovarian cancer much higher.

I thought about posting this in OOT but thought it was much more likely to devolve into a conversation about actresses and breasts.

So thoughts on this? Would you do this if you knew? Why or why not?

I feel relatively fortunate that there is zero history of breast cancer in my family, so the odds I carry the gene defect are slim to none, but it must be terrifying to go through this kind of decision.

Anyway I just thought this might be an interesting topic of discussion.

Good choice. It undoubtedly would have.

I read this article last night. I don't have a history of breast cancer in my family either, RJ, but I think that if I did I would be very inclined to get the genetic testing. I had no idea that such testing was around, and I think it is wonderful that Jolie decided to open up about this to spread the word specifically about the availability of this specific type of testing.

Yeah this is definitely something I think people (who are willing) should talk about and spread the word. If I had the family history I'd probably get tested as well, and while it's hard to know for sure what I'd do in that spot, I think it's likely I'd go the same route and get the preventative mastectomy.

There's a lot of issues with gender identity and sexuality tied up when you start talking about women removing their breasts (even with reconstruction). Most stories on cancer just talk about dealing with the disease, not the treatment or life after you've had a part of your body removed.

Here's a pretty good article in the NY times regarding the pitfalls of early detection, awareness campaigns and preventive surgery, that you may find pertinent to the discussion.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/28/ma...st-cancer.html

I suffer from colitis, which means my risk of colorectal cancer is higher than normal, and increases every year. That said, if there were a similar option available to me, I would do it in a heartbeat. I go through all the necessary screenings every year, but just the knowledge that you no longer have that sword over your head would be such a relief.

I know this isn't super appropriate but Pink Ribbons Inc is a really interesting documentary and I urge all of you to watch it. And if you have seen it I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts.

Dying from cancer is a horrible way to go, whether you treat it or not. Answering this question is very personal and there just isn't a wrong answer.

As someone in the public eye, the difficulties of announcing that decision are magnified and Ms. Jolie deserves full credit for announcing her decision.

Obviously a very difficult decision but if I was in a similar position (and I'm very lucky not to have a history of cancer in my family) I would have to opt for the surgery. I can't imagine living with such a high risk and not doing everything I could to reduce it but again I think I'm lucky as I'm 100% sure all my family, friends and partner would support me.

On a related note I was almost physically sick when I read this article on the story. This so called "news" site should be shut down as a danger to public health:


http://www.naturalnews.com/040334_Angelina_Jolie_double_mastectomy_breast_can cer_prevention.html

This whole article is aimed at people in a very vulnerable situation, susceptible to any alternative - like just take vitamin D and buy a CD rather than such an invasive procedure. Basically putting peoples lives in danger to make profit; disgusting!!!

My aunt had breast cancer and had one or both of her breasts removed. Her husband is a POS and let it cause problems with their intimacy.

I'm not necessarily taking issue with your characterization of your aunt's husband - for all I know he is a POS - but it's a lot to ask anyone, male or female, to not have some issues adjusting when a piece of their body is literally cut off.

I've seen anecdotal reports of both the female and/or the male in relationships where the woman has a mastectomy having a lot of difficulty with the changes in body image and sexuality.

Oh he's an *******, it's just another brick in the wall.

My mom had a double mastectomy and had the reconstructive surgery done a few years ago. She had cancer, had several options, and made the choice to take this very drastic option. When she was younger she decided that if she were ever diagnosed with cancer she would take the this course.

So far so good she is cancer free.

She is also happy with the reconstructive surgery after the mastectomy. It's my mom so we obviously don't go into details, but she passed on having a second surgery to have nipples tattooed back on skin on top of the implants. Apparently they can't do it at the same time.

It in no way seem to have effected my parents relationship...... if anything it has made it much stronger. My dad even wears a pink stoned breast cancer ring to honor her successful battle.

I am proud of both of them. The most interesting thing was my parents friend's avoid the topic. They talk about all other medical conditions all the time but they clearly avoid the breast cancer topic with my mom. My mom no longer brings up the issue ever with many of them. Sad as my mom is willing to discuss the issue and it would have been even easier for her if she had their strong support.

I think it has to be harder for a young woman not in a strong relationship but clearly with two people in love for a long time it's another adversity but dose not have to change the relationship for the worse.

I agree, it doesn't HAVE to. It sometimes does, though.

And it's sad, but not that unusual, for friends to avoid the topic as well. If asked they'd probably say it's because they don't want to bother or disturb her, but it's really more to do with their own comfort with cancer and/or mortality.

I'm glad to her your mom is doing well.

Having a proctoectomy and J-pouch are very much options for people with colitis. Do you have ulcerative colitis, or just colitis?

I have Crohn's disease and know a lot of people who hold off having an Illeostomy because the thought of living with bag that collects waste on them is less optimal then living in pain, having an increased risk of cancer, and not thriving.

This story was interesting to me, cause like Sgt. RJ no one really talks about the body disfigurement aspect of this. I say kudos to her though for being proactive, and promoting it.

Losing any part of the body, inside or out is a very complicated thing to go through, and it does allow you to see the real character of the people around you, good and bad.

Several years ago, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer. At the time, I was given the option of having only my cervix removed but instead elected to have a total hysterectomy. Given that I already had 3 teenage girls and felt way past any inclination to have more children, this decision seemed relatively easy when faced with a potential recurrence of cancer later. I didn't have to give it much consideration. The conclusion was clear and easy to come to. Keep my uterus and risk it coming back or deal with the complications of surgical menopause and rest easily at night knowing I had eliminated as much risk as possible (when not being tortured by night sweats...lol)

That said, I really don't know that the decision to have a preventative mastectomy would have been as easy. My uterus had served me well and seemed like one of those "out of sight, out of mind" type of organs at that point, like an appendix or gall bladder. My breasts though, call me vain, they would be harder to sacrifice for something that may or may not ever happen. I think the consolation of reconstructed breasts might win me over though. Those three girls were rather destructive on them! I'm pretty sure that I would make the same decision though but for some reason it feels like it would be harder to accept the loss of my breasts. I like them but I know that I like having peace of mind more...

Katie, RJ:

Here's an interesting article concerning the current state of the art with respect to genetic testing. The speed with which this technology is advancing (and the steep decline in the cost of testing) is truly amazing.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/...machine-and-me

It probably won't occur during my lifetime (I'm too old), but I suspect it's safe to speculate that cures will be discovered for most (if not all) of the genetic diseases within the next 2-3 generations. That's how fast the discoveries are being made.

On a related note, there is a world wide distributed computing project, (i.e. Stanford University's "Folding at Home" project), which has been ongoing since October of 2000. The Folding at Home (FAH) project utilizes unused CPU cycles from donors home computers to perform calculations that simulate the folding of large complex protein molecules. Understanding how proteins fold (and sometimes misfold) at the molecular level is leading to the discovery of new drugs and treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, AIDS, and at least half of the forms of cancer. The FAH project is the world's largest distributed computing project with well over 166,000 donors worldwide - and growing. (My own computer is part of FAH. I'm crunching "work units" 24/7. My "slow poke" computer has crunched nearly 1,500 WUs since last December.)

Check out the FAH web site:

http://folding.stanford.edu/English/HomePage

and this animation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sJx9z1uB9k

and consider joining the project. The cost (primarily electricity cost) of having your computer crunch work units is on parallel with burning a 100-watt light bulb. (If you run the FAH software with your monitor turned off, the cost is negligible.)

This is something we can all do together to fight these diseases. (Plus, you can tell your friends that you are a medical researcher - which won't be a total lie.) I used this "medical researcher" ploy on a lady I met one night at dinner. She almost fell for it - and me.

Journalist and author Betty Rollin wrote a book about her experience with breast cancer entitled: "First You Cry".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Rollin

A television movie (with Mary Tyler Moore playing Betty) aired on NBC in 1978. (Maybe you can find the movie on YouTube or Hulu.) I recall seeing part of the movie at the time. It touched on many of the issues that have been raised here.