Would you do it?

[i-need-a-martini]

Would you have a double mastectomy to reduce your risk of breast cancer? Angelina Jolie did after doctors told her she had an 87% chance of developing the disease.

It's a pretty drastic thing to do. I'm not sure I would do it though. But then again I don't have a family history like hers.

You?

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/my-medical-choice-20130514-2jjyu.html

[buzzlightyearsgirlfriend]

Apparently, with the faulty gene Angelina has, it also increases her risk of ovarian cancer.

If I were a ticking time bomb indicated by genetic testing, I'd want to reduce my risk.

Angelina is also the mother of quite a few young children. I reckon she'd want to be able to stick around for them.

[crystal**flake]

I dont think its so drastic really.

[azureline**]

I do wonder.........Would she have done it if she could not have had a reconstruction?

Buzz, the risk factors I was given were.... low.

I breastfed all my children, had my first at almost 21. Family history was a maternal aunt with BC at 42yo. My mother had ovarian cancer at 35 yo.

[ambercat16]

Australian women have a 1 in 8 lifetime risk of developing breast cancer which increases with age 

more than 89% of women who have BC survive it.
 

This is true when you include all women diagnosed with breast cancer - but women who get breast cancer at a young age - and they are often the ones that do have a a family history and test positive for BRCA1 - have a much lower survival rate. 

[freddie*rooster]

BF for 6 weeks no BC in family until an aunt who was diagnosed at the same time as me she is 84. Knowing what I know now and currently suffering some really bad SE to the medication it's a big YES.

[colkym]

An 87% chance of getting it?  Yep, I would for sure.  Especially as  she has probably had reconstructive surgery already, and money isnt an issue for her (reconstructive surgery possibly costs money).

She has 6 kids, and needs to stick around as long as possible for them

[karliandjacko]

Yes, if my circumstances were similar to Angelina I definitely would have the surgery.

[everything*that*i*ever*wanted]

I am having the screening done in July as my Mother, my Paternal Grandmother, an Aunt and 2 cousins have all had Breast Cancer. My Sister, an Aunt and 2 Great Aunts have had Cervical Cancer. We had discussions over months which included my girls and hubby and one of my  sisters about whether to have the testing done, because the results are something you can't "un-know".

The outcome is that if I have the defective gene I will have the surgery, after our family is complete. I will also have a hysterectomy.

If I can even halve my chances of my girls having to cope with me possibly developing BC or OC...it is very much worth it.

One of my sisters won't have the test as she doesn't think she would cope with the outcome. I don't know if my other sister has considered it.

I will also be saving for my daughters to have the test if and when they feel they want to know.

[freddie*rooster]

One of my sisters won't have the test as she doesn't think she would cope with the outcome.

If she developed BC she would have no alternative than to deal with it, so being tested isn't going to stop her from getting BC, it's going to save her if she has the gene.

[crystal**flake]

They are just boobs.