# This poor girl....



## AZ Jim (Mar 24, 2015)

So often people envy these celebrities and don't realize they too are subject to the things that can affect any of we "mere mortals".  Here is a girl who is losing body parts to hopefully prevent death.  Admire her courage, but forget the envy.
[h=1]Angelina Jolie undergoes further preventive surgery[/h]







 Angelina Jolie made headlines two years  ago when she announced she had undergone a double mastectomy to reduce  her chances of breast cancer.Now she has gone public with another personal medical decision.

Jolie  has now had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed. She says it was an  easy decision; there is a long history of cancer in her family, and she  did not want to take any chances.
 Medical experts say this gene mutation that Jolie has is not only associated with breast cancer, but ovarian cancer. 

It's  actually a recommended procedure, and the medical community is  expecting to see more people wanting to take this preventative measure.

"She  has a BRCA mutation, so we know she is at a great risk to develop both  those types of cancers. And it's been wonderful for her to share her  story so other women who have similar family histories can be empowered  to make the tough choices she's had to make," said Genetic Counselor  Cary Armstrong.

Armstrong is a genetic counselor for the University of Arizona's Cancer Center at St. Joseph's.

"The  purpose of the genetic counseling is a conversation, we go over your  medical history, your family history, talk about whether genetic testing  is appropriate, what the genetic tests will tell you, and what the  screening is will be recommended," said Armstrong.

Genetic  testing is done with a simple saliva sample. Results reveal cancer risks  associated with certain mutated genes. Options range from more  screening to risk-reducing surgeries like Jolie's.

"Ovarian  cancer is a very deadly disease, so we don't have effective ways to  screen the ovaries, so the recommendation is if someone has a BRCA 1 or 2  mutation, to remove the ovaries as soon as they're done having  children,... it's not recommended below the age of 35, but it is  recommended at an earlier because it reduces the risk of ovarian cancer  significantly, by about 96%. Studies have shown when they are taken out  at an earlier age it can also reduce the risk of breast cancer as well,"  she said.

Armstrong says there was an increase in people  contacting genetic counselors, and undergoing testing after Jolie wrote  about her double mastectomy in 2013. She expects to see an uptick again.

"I  would anticipate we would see the same kind of increase in people  asking more questions, and wanting to be more empowered with their  healthcare," said Armstrong.

Armstrong said that many insurance  companies cover genetic testing and the risk-reducing surgeries and more  frequent screenings.


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## SeaBreeze (Mar 24, 2015)

She's a beautiful woman and a talented actress, I always liked her.  My heart goes out to her.


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## Debby (Mar 26, 2015)

I wonder how much of the cancers we hear about have some correlation to the growing toxicity of our environment and foods and so on?  

Anyway I hope her efforts to avoid the Big C are successful!


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## Falcon (Mar 26, 2015)

Can't blame her.  She can always wear a padded bra, but I'm not sure how the loss of her ovaries might affect her appearance.


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## QuickSilver (Mar 26, 2015)

not in the least


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## Ameriscot (Mar 26, 2015)

Falcon said:


> Can't blame her.  She can always wear a padded bra, but I'm not sure how the loss of her ovaries might affect her appearance.



She probably had reconstructive surgery after her mastectomy.  As for loss of ovaries she'll go through menopause, and she's 39, a year younger than when I went through it.


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## Josiah (Mar 26, 2015)

She's an intelligent, courageous woman and I'll always see her a beautiful. 

Frankly I've always thought of reconstructive surgery as no better than a padded bra, but a whole lot more dangerous for her health.


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## QuickSilver (Mar 26, 2015)

She will be treated with hormones to help with the symptoms of surgical menopause.


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## Debby (Mar 26, 2015)

Falcon said:


> Can't blame her.  She can always wear a padded bra, but I'm not sure how the loss of her ovaries might affect her appearance.




Reconstructive surgery more likely and the loss of her ovaries will just mean she's in menopause now but there's always hormone replacement therapy to help with that although some women don't need that kind of help I've heard.  My mom didn't.


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## Glinda (Mar 26, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> She probably had reconstructive surgery after her mastectomy.  As for loss of ovaries she'll go through menopause, and she's 39, a year younger than when I went through it.



Really?  You went through it at 40?


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## QuickSilver (Mar 26, 2015)

Debby said:


> Reconstructive surgery more likely and the loss of her ovaries will just mean she's in menopause now but there's always hormone replacement therapy to help with that although some women don't need that kind of help I've heard.  My mom didn't.




Natural menopause is gradual...  Surgical menopause is not.  It is abrupt.   Most young women do need hormonal replacement as the effects are immediate and ususally unbearable.


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## Denise1952 (Mar 28, 2015)

That is sad, just heard that brain-cancer runs rampant in her family as well.  Her doctors (Dr. Doneedat & Dr. Notusingitanyway) are confident in the procedure and have scheduled it within the next week.


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## chic (Mar 29, 2015)

Debby said:


> I wonder how much of the cancers we hear about have some correlation to the growing toxicity of our environment and foods and so on?
> 
> Anyway I hope her efforts to avoid the Big C are successful!



I would say most of them are related to, or at least adversely effected by, eating the wrong foods, GMOs, non organic, drinking tap water etc.


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## hollydolly (Mar 29, 2015)

She is very brave and I'm sure she's doing as much as humanly possible for the sake of her children as much as for herself. What a frightening  distressing journey to have to take as a young mother. I wish her everything she wishes for herself.


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## Denise1952 (Mar 29, 2015)

I hate feeling like a rat when I see things so differently then other people, but doesn't anyone feel/think it is even a little out of whack to be having body parts removed because "we might" contract a disease?  This is turning into a fad now, that's what the article says, well, not a fad, but hey, my Aunt had cancer so I best have this or that removed to prevent the cancer, or alleviate the risk.  Does anyone at all think this is more "job security" for surgeons?  What if cancer was cured, would there be a lot of people put out of work?

I've heard, whether it's true or not I don't know, but Angelina has had serious, mental problems.  Does everyone think that her decision are sound because a "good" doctor evidently backs her.  I do feel pity for her, for one thing just to be in the constant spotlight of Hollyweird, but there just is something wrong with this picture in my opinion??  She had a cyst, or something, those can be removed.  Is my thought of getting any body part removed the thing to do if we "might" get something?  Does anyone think the way our society is today that that won't start happening?  Taking a vitamin to help prevent lack of Sun is one thing, having my arm removed because I'm clumsy and might end up breaking it, too extreme thinking?

Hey, say what you're thinking when you read this, I can take it, and if I'm wrong, I'd like someone to say it, maybe I am??


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