Angelina Jolie had preventive double mastectomy after discovering cancer gene
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Angelina Jolie had preventive double mastectomy after discovering cancer gene

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Angelina Jolie had preventive double mastectomy after discovering cancer gene

  • Post
    • May 14, 2013 at 10:40 am
    JC
    Participant

    I don't get how a person would know to even ask to get tested for a cancer gene?

    I don't get how a person would know to even ask to get tested for a cancer gene?

Viewing 14 reply threads
  • Replies
      • May 14, 2013 at 11:47 am
      JC
      Participant

      I wish there was a way to get skin preventively removed to avoid melanoma

      • May 14, 2013 at 11:47 am
      JC
      Participant

      I wish there was a way to get skin preventively removed to avoid melanoma

      • May 14, 2013 at 11:47 am
      JC
      Participant

      I wish there was a way to get skin preventively removed to avoid melanoma

      • May 14, 2013 at 12:51 pm
      Janner
      Participant

      Her mother died from breast cancer – that's how she knew to get tested.   There are other factors that can give you clues such as age at diagnosis, too.

      For melanoma, most is not genetic in that some genetic defect puts you at high risk.  Obviously, genetics plays a role in skin type and susceptibility to burning, etc, but about 90% of melanoma is considered sporadic and does not relate to some specific genetic defect.

      • May 14, 2013 at 12:51 pm
      Janner
      Participant

      Her mother died from breast cancer – that's how she knew to get tested.   There are other factors that can give you clues such as age at diagnosis, too.

      For melanoma, most is not genetic in that some genetic defect puts you at high risk.  Obviously, genetics plays a role in skin type and susceptibility to burning, etc, but about 90% of melanoma is considered sporadic and does not relate to some specific genetic defect.

      • May 14, 2013 at 12:51 pm
      Janner
      Participant

      Her mother died from breast cancer – that's how she knew to get tested.   There are other factors that can give you clues such as age at diagnosis, too.

      For melanoma, most is not genetic in that some genetic defect puts you at high risk.  Obviously, genetics plays a role in skin type and susceptibility to burning, etc, but about 90% of melanoma is considered sporadic and does not relate to some specific genetic defect.

      • May 14, 2013 at 2:14 pm
      Phil S
      Participant
      Her mother died in her 50s from ovarian cancer, which is also linked to breast cancer risk and gene testing. I am sure, based on mother’s history, her doctor recommended testing and then surgery. Valerie (Phil’s wife)
      • May 14, 2013 at 2:14 pm
      Phil S
      Participant
      Her mother died in her 50s from ovarian cancer, which is also linked to breast cancer risk and gene testing. I am sure, based on mother’s history, her doctor recommended testing and then surgery. Valerie (Phil’s wife)
      • May 14, 2013 at 2:14 pm
      Phil S
      Participant
      Her mother died in her 50s from ovarian cancer, which is also linked to breast cancer risk and gene testing. I am sure, based on mother’s history, her doctor recommended testing and then surgery. Valerie (Phil’s wife)
      • May 14, 2013 at 4:23 pm
      MichaelFL
      Participant

      Her mother died at age 56 after an almost eight-year battle with ovarian cancer, not breast cancer. Still this is extreme as even thoug her doctors state that due to genetic testing she had about an 87% chance of getting breast cancer, it still does not actually mean she will. I wonder how they really came up with that number anyway?

      I also wonder who is really behind the double-mastectomy push and how much money can be made off this, and now that she has had it, how many people will have it after going into a massive panic since reading that she did.

      You know how crazy people can be in realtion to what the media says. Johnny Carson and toilet paper.

      • May 14, 2013 at 4:23 pm
      MichaelFL
      Participant

      Her mother died at age 56 after an almost eight-year battle with ovarian cancer, not breast cancer. Still this is extreme as even thoug her doctors state that due to genetic testing she had about an 87% chance of getting breast cancer, it still does not actually mean she will. I wonder how they really came up with that number anyway?

      I also wonder who is really behind the double-mastectomy push and how much money can be made off this, and now that she has had it, how many people will have it after going into a massive panic since reading that she did.

      You know how crazy people can be in realtion to what the media says. Johnny Carson and toilet paper.

      • May 14, 2013 at 4:23 pm
      MichaelFL
      Participant

      Her mother died at age 56 after an almost eight-year battle with ovarian cancer, not breast cancer. Still this is extreme as even thoug her doctors state that due to genetic testing she had about an 87% chance of getting breast cancer, it still does not actually mean she will. I wonder how they really came up with that number anyway?

      I also wonder who is really behind the double-mastectomy push and how much money can be made off this, and now that she has had it, how many people will have it after going into a massive panic since reading that she did.

      You know how crazy people can be in realtion to what the media says. Johnny Carson and toilet paper.

        • May 14, 2013 at 9:51 pm
        MichaelFL
        Participant
        This is so ridiculously extreme! Scare tactics of the FDA, CDC, and American Cancer society does this to people and then they become hypochondriacs.

        We all have "inactive" cancer cells within our body. You don't get something cut off just because there might be a high risk.

        This is like getting a major testicular castration or prostrate procedure just because they say men are at high risk of this disease.
         

        We all need to STOP letting the scary cancer tactics and hollywood warp our minds and take preventative measures by taking better care of ourselves with eating less refined sugar. Cancer cells feed off sugar.

        It will be a shame if she gets cancer elsewhere now that she exposed cells to air by opening herself up with any type of surgery.

        • May 14, 2013 at 9:51 pm
        MichaelFL
        Participant
        This is so ridiculously extreme! Scare tactics of the FDA, CDC, and American Cancer society does this to people and then they become hypochondriacs.

        We all have "inactive" cancer cells within our body. You don't get something cut off just because there might be a high risk.

        This is like getting a major testicular castration or prostrate procedure just because they say men are at high risk of this disease.
         

        We all need to STOP letting the scary cancer tactics and hollywood warp our minds and take preventative measures by taking better care of ourselves with eating less refined sugar. Cancer cells feed off sugar.

        It will be a shame if she gets cancer elsewhere now that she exposed cells to air by opening herself up with any type of surgery.

        • May 14, 2013 at 9:51 pm
        MichaelFL
        Participant
        This is so ridiculously extreme! Scare tactics of the FDA, CDC, and American Cancer society does this to people and then they become hypochondriacs.

        We all have "inactive" cancer cells within our body. You don't get something cut off just because there might be a high risk.

        This is like getting a major testicular castration or prostrate procedure just because they say men are at high risk of this disease.
         

        We all need to STOP letting the scary cancer tactics and hollywood warp our minds and take preventative measures by taking better care of ourselves with eating less refined sugar. Cancer cells feed off sugar.

        It will be a shame if she gets cancer elsewhere now that she exposed cells to air by opening herself up with any type of surgery.

      • May 14, 2013 at 9:14 pm
      Janner
      Participant

      WebMD article with questions/answers about Jolie's annoucement.

      http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20130514/angelina-jolie-double-mastectomy-breast-cancer

      • May 14, 2013 at 9:14 pm
      Janner
      Participant

      WebMD article with questions/answers about Jolie's annoucement.

      http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20130514/angelina-jolie-double-mastectomy-breast-cancer

      • May 14, 2013 at 9:14 pm
      Janner
      Participant

      WebMD article with questions/answers about Jolie's annoucement.

      http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20130514/angelina-jolie-double-mastectomy-breast-cancer

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