Kudos to Angelina Jolie

scatsm
scatsm Member Posts: 296 Member
in Ovarian Cancer #1

Kudos to Angela Jolie for going public about her BRCA status and the difficult decisions to be made around it. As a BRCA 2 survivor of both Ovarian and Breast cancer, I only wish I had known about genetic testing after my mother died of BCA in 1996. This gene mutation has been around since the early 1990's but never a word was said to me until after my OVCA dx that genetic testing was recommended. Hopefully Jolie's star power will help awareness of the BRCA gene mutation and help many others to avoid these devastating diagnoses.

 

Comments

  • poopergirl14052
    poopergirl14052 Member Posts: 1,183 Member
    #2
    I agree

    Woman need to know this.. I just wish it wasn't so darn costly...as many woman won't have this this due to money. It should be free..may save on chemo,surgery,radiation  etc. This is part of woman's health too.....val

     

  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #3
    I AGREE

    Coming forward is so brave, but making that choice to have the surgery is even more courageous.  And KUDOS to you, also!  Your survivorship speaks to your courage as well.

    (((HUGS)))

    Monika

  • jazzy1
    jazzy1 Member Posts: 1,379
    #4
    Angelina News!!

    Wow when I heard this I truly had a great sence of a woman in the limelight trying to use her experience to help and guide other women.  Kudos Angelina!Smile

    Lets see what Obamacare holds for genetic testing, but surely don't hold our breath as probably be even more expensive.

    Jan

     

     

  • 6kats
    6kats Member Posts: 12
    #5
    For the OVCA

    Bless her for using her name for awareness  for both cancers not just Breast C  we all need help

    kat

  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #6
    BRCA Mutation

    I can't help but chime in here.  I agree with all of your comments about her bravery and the attention her situation brings to breast and ovarian cancer.  The sad truth, however, is that the BRCA mutation is not a mutation that makes cancer.  It is a mutation that compromises methylation.  Compromised methylation is what can lead to cancer.  There are simple, dietary measures that can be taken to manage this mutation and the methylation it effects, primarily eating cruciferous vegetables.  I wish this information was more available to women struggling with this decision.

    http://www.naturalnews.com/040349_Angelina_Jolie_breast_cancer_surgery.html

     

  • Glad to be done
    Glad to be done Member Posts: 569
    #7
    Tethys41 said:

    BRCA Mutation

    I can't help but chime in here.  I agree with all of your comments about her bravery and the attention her situation brings to breast and ovarian cancer.  The sad truth, however, is that the BRCA mutation is not a mutation that makes cancer.  It is a mutation that compromises methylation.  Compromised methylation is what can lead to cancer.  There are simple, dietary measures that can be taken to manage this mutation and the methylation it effects, primarily eating cruciferous vegetables.  I wish this information was more available to women struggling with this decision.

    http://www.naturalnews.com/040349_Angelina_Jolie_breast_cancer_surgery.html

     

    Very interesting article

    Very interesting article tethys

  • JoWin615
    JoWin615 Member Posts: 150 Member
    #8
    It's all about awareness

    and choices. I'm really glad that Angelina went public with her decision to do prophylactic surgery, because it raises awareness about BRCA testing and OVCA. What one does with the result of the testing is a highly personal decision, arrived at, one would hope, by extensive research into all the types of treatment available. 

  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #9
    Tethys41 said:

    BRCA Mutation

    I can't help but chime in here.  I agree with all of your comments about her bravery and the attention her situation brings to breast and ovarian cancer.  The sad truth, however, is that the BRCA mutation is not a mutation that makes cancer.  It is a mutation that compromises methylation.  Compromised methylation is what can lead to cancer.  There are simple, dietary measures that can be taken to manage this mutation and the methylation it effects, primarily eating cruciferous vegetables.  I wish this information was more available to women struggling with this decision.

    http://www.naturalnews.com/040349_Angelina_Jolie_breast_cancer_surgery.html

     

    VERY INTERESTING

    Thanks for the info.   I'm definitely all about prevention, natural approaches, etc.  If in fact this information is accurate, so many women could have been spared such a difficut approach.  I'm aware of the role of nutrition in our health, but was not aware of the mutation process.  Thanks for posting.

    (((HUGS)))
    Monika

     

  • scatsm
    scatsm Member Posts: 296 Member
    #10
    Tethys41 said:

    BRCA Mutation

    I can't help but chime in here.  I agree with all of your comments about her bravery and the attention her situation brings to breast and ovarian cancer.  The sad truth, however, is that the BRCA mutation is not a mutation that makes cancer.  It is a mutation that compromises methylation.  Compromised methylation is what can lead to cancer.  There are simple, dietary measures that can be taken to manage this mutation and the methylation it effects, primarily eating cruciferous vegetables.  I wish this information was more available to women struggling with this decision.

    http://www.naturalnews.com/040349_Angelina_Jolie_breast_cancer_surgery.html

     

    Tethys, this article was

    Tethys, this article was awful. If there was a message in there about alternatives to preventive mastectomy for BRCA positive women, it was lost in sensationalistic accusations against women and the medical profession. As a woman with BRCA2 who chose to have both breasts removed when only one had cancer, I am disgusted by this writer's vitriol. And, while I don't know you, I am saddened that you would think this an appropriate article to share.

  • Alexandra
    Alexandra Member Posts: 1,308
    #11
    Tethys41 said:

    BRCA Mutation

    I can't help but chime in here.  I agree with all of your comments about her bravery and the attention her situation brings to breast and ovarian cancer.  The sad truth, however, is that the BRCA mutation is not a mutation that makes cancer.  It is a mutation that compromises methylation.  Compromised methylation is what can lead to cancer.  There are simple, dietary measures that can be taken to manage this mutation and the methylation it effects, primarily eating cruciferous vegetables.  I wish this information was more available to women struggling with this decision.

    http://www.naturalnews.com/040349_Angelina_Jolie_breast_cancer_surgery.html

     

    Angelina and BRCA

    Honestly I don't think that the spin media puts on Angelina's decision to manage her cancer risk is helpful.

    I am glad that she drew attention to genetic testing and elevated risk of breast and ovarian cancers. It's sad when medical education comes from Hollywood. I don't like that her preventative mastectomy is presented as being a good mother to her children or the only choice in her situation.

    On the day when she went public the reactions from people (mostly males) who never heard about BRCA were less then positive and downright dumb. "They were fake to begin with...", "She can afford her own mammogram machine", "Brad Pitt is now stuck with her and a busload of kids...", etc.

  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #12
    scatsm said:

    Tethys, this article was

    Tethys, this article was awful. If there was a message in there about alternatives to preventive mastectomy for BRCA positive women, it was lost in sensationalistic accusations against women and the medical profession. As a woman with BRCA2 who chose to have both breasts removed when only one had cancer, I am disgusted by this writer's vitriol. And, while I don't know you, I am saddened that you would think this an appropriate article to share.

    Scatsm,I'm sorry you have

    Scatsm,

    I'm sorry you have chosen to be offended by the content of the article.  While it is sensationalized often that is what it takes to get people's attention these days.   Pure science often just serves to confuse people.  The article contains accurate information that can be confirmed from a variety of sources, including the National Institue of Health.  I too am BRCA positive and my mother died of breast cancer.  So I have put a lot of thought, time and research into my decision.  The point is that women have the option to become educated when considering such a procedure for a cancer they don't have.  And they aren't going to get this information from most doctors. Others feel comfortable following their doctor's advice, and that's okay too.  But we do have the choice.

    Congratulations on your survivorship.

  • jazzy1
    jazzy1 Member Posts: 1,379
    #13
    JoWin615 said:

    It's all about awareness

    and choices. I'm really glad that Angelina went public with her decision to do prophylactic surgery, because it raises awareness about BRCA testing and OVCA. What one does with the result of the testing is a highly personal decision, arrived at, one would hope, by extensive research into all the types of treatment available. 

    Ladies

    It's about choices and doing our own resarch, therefore, in the end DO WHAT'S BEST FOR US, not the other woman.  Great to see different opinions as that makes the world interesting.

    Cheers to lots of options, whether good or bad in our eyes~

    Jan

  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #14
    Tethys41 said:

    BRCA Mutation

    I can't help but chime in here.  I agree with all of your comments about her bravery and the attention her situation brings to breast and ovarian cancer.  The sad truth, however, is that the BRCA mutation is not a mutation that makes cancer.  It is a mutation that compromises methylation.  Compromised methylation is what can lead to cancer.  There are simple, dietary measures that can be taken to manage this mutation and the methylation it effects, primarily eating cruciferous vegetables.  I wish this information was more available to women struggling with this decision.

    http://www.naturalnews.com/040349_Angelina_Jolie_breast_cancer_surgery.html

     

    More information on Prophylactic Mastectomy

    http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/20/no-easy-choices-on-breast-reconstruction/?smid=fb-share

     

    Women considering this procedure should also shop around for the right surgeon.  Your local surgeon may not be the best option. The way the surgeon performs the surgery can make a huge difference in the results.

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