CELEBRITIES WHO HAVE HAD DOUBLE MASTECTOMY

 

Angelina Jolie

3 days ago Angelina Jolie announced to the world she has just had a double mastectomy after finding out she had a mutation in the BRCA1 (breast cancer type 1) gene, giving her a very high life time risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

The mutation Jolie carries, a deletion on the BRCA1 gene,combined with a strong family history of cancer, correlate with an 87% risk of breast cancer and a 50% risk of ovarian cancer. Either cancer is likely to be very aggressive and lethal sooner rather than later. Breast cancer is, on average likely to strike earlier than ovarian.

Other celebrities who have had double mastectomy are:

1. Sharon Osbourne - TV Personality

2. Christina Applegate - Actress; 2008

3. Shirley Temple Black - Actress; 1972

4. Hoda Kotb - "Today" Show host; 2007

5. Giuliana Rancic - E! News Presenter; 2011

6. Nancy Regan - Former 1st Lady; 1987

7. Kathy Bates - Actress; 2012

8. Wanda Sykes - Comedienne; 2011

It wasn’t until 1990 that DNA linkage studies identified the first gene connected to breast cancer. Scientists called the gene “breast cancer 1” or BRCA1 (pronounced brak-uh), according to Stanford University’s School of Medicine. Four years later, scientists uncovered a second, similar gene and named it BRCA2.

The genes are considered “tumor suppressors” that, when perfect, produce a protein that controls cell growth and death. We all have two of each gene, and a mutation in one of them is linked to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.

The test is very expensive and costs as much as $4,000.