HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Angelina Jolie Has Double Mastectomy Because Of 87% Breast Cancer Risk

gdpawel · 05-30-2013, 04:06 PM

Dr. Robert A. Nagourney gave a really simplistic explanation of The Angelina Jolie Effect.

http://robertanagourney.wordpress.co...-jolie-effect/

A Netherlands abstract, of a 515 women study, is supposed to be presented at the ASCO trade show this weekend that looked at women with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutated genes who had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

According to the abstract, risk reducing mastectomy in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers with a history of unilateral breast cancer significantly reduced the risk of developing breast cancer in the other breast. However, the outcome regarding overall survival is insufficiently known.

The 10 year overall survival was 80% for the non-risk reducing mastectomy group and 90% for the risk reducing mastectomy group. The conclusions were that risk reducing mastectomy in BRCA mutation carriers with unilateral breast cancer reduces contra-laterial breast cancer incidence and is associated with improved overall survival.

However survival was improved was not by much. Further research is needed to identify potential prognostic factors for this survival benefit.

05-30-2013, 04:06 PM	#2
gdpawel Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,080	Angelina Jolie Effect Dr. Robert A. Nagourney gave a really simplistic explanation of The Angelina Jolie Effect. http://robertanagourney.wordpress.co...-jolie-effect/ A Netherlands abstract, of a 515 women study, is supposed to be presented at the ASCO trade show this weekend that looked at women with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutated genes who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. According to the abstract, risk reducing mastectomy in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers with a history of unilateral breast cancer significantly reduced the risk of developing breast cancer in the other breast. However, the outcome regarding overall survival is insufficiently known. The 10 year overall survival was 80% for the non-risk reducing mastectomy group and 90% for the risk reducing mastectomy group. The conclusions were that risk reducing mastectomy in BRCA mutation carriers with unilateral breast cancer reduces contra-laterial breast cancer incidence and is associated with improved overall survival. However survival was improved was not by much. Further research is needed to identify potential prognostic factors for this survival benefit.