How did Angelina Jolie make her decision to have a double mastectomy?
Five years ago, Ms. Angelina Jolie elected to proceed with prophylactic double mastectomy after undergoing genetic screening and learning that she had a significantly elevated risk of developing breast cancer due to mutation of the BRCA1 gene.
Can you choose to have a double mastectomy?
In many cases, women with a family history of breast cancer can choose to have a double mastectomy, although insurance can be picky about who is and isn’t approved. Those with a first degree relative, mother, sister or daughter, who was diagnosed before the age of 50 may consider bilateral mastectomy.
Why would a doctor recommend a double mastectomy?
When is bilateral mastectomy recommended? Having both breasts removed is recommended for women at very high risk of breast cancer. For example, those who have tested positive for a breast cancer (BRCA) gene change are at very high risk.
What is the average hospital stay for a double mastectomy?
Hospital stays for mastectomy average 3 days or less. If you have a mastectomy and reconstruction at the same time, you may be in the hospital a little longer.
Did Angelina Jolie have nipples removed?
Two weeks before getting her mastectomies in mid-February, Jolie underwent a nipple delay procedure—a complicated step in a nipple-sparing mastectomy that involves removing a small amount of tissue from beneath the nipple to ensure that it isn’t malignant (if it was, keeping the nipple would, of course, be a dangerous …
How serious is a double mastectomy?
A double mastectomy can cause some physical side effects. There is also a risk of complications following the surgery. Potential side effects and risks include: Fatigue: Many people feel tired for days or weeks after the surgery.
How long does a double mastectomy surgery take?
A mastectomy without reconstruction usually takes one to three hours. The surgery is often done as an outpatient procedure, and most people go home on the same day of the operation.
What is a prophylactic double mastectomy?
Bilateral prophylactic mastectomy is the removal of both breasts to prevent breast cancer. Bilateral prophylactic mastectomy lowers the risk of breast cancer in women at high risk by at least 90 percent [155,236-239].