Angelina Jolie has double mastectomy

What
Are you saying we are NOT working towards a cure for cancer (even though I put a Generic "CURES" not just for cancer)

Correct, there can't be a 'cure' for cancer only better prevention, earlier screening and the management of it once diagnosed.

Trying to 'cure' cancer is like trying to 'cure' the onset of old age.
 
I was chatting to some women at work this morning and they were saying she had 'tissue' removed from both breasts, not the whole shebang and that she'd already had reconstructive surgery a while back without the public knowing, and that she has announced it now that it has all been done and dusted so to speak.
Don't know if all the above is true, but its what they were saying at work.

Still, brave of her. She is a humanitarian after all, so i assume she thought some good will come from going public with it.
Good for her and hope she lives a long and fruitful life......she is gorgeous!
 
Why are people reacting as if she has got cancer?

Yup... apparently I'm ignorant because I questioned why she had it done. Seemed like it would be better to monitor it and if it happened, then have the options. Just seems incredibly drastic. Perhaps it is more down to the stress of it might happen?
 
Yup... apparently I'm ignorant because I questioned why she had it done. Seemed like it would be better to monitor it and if it happened, then have the options. Just seems incredibly drastic. Perhaps it is more down to the stress of it might happen?

To be fair she has young kids to think about... does there have to be any other reason? For many parents there is nothing that they wouldn't do for their kids.
 
At an 87% chance that she has the gene, yes actually if its highly likely she will get it.

Yes, with her chances of developing breast cancer she was as likely to develop it, as the average person is unlikely to develop it. Not odds you would want to bet on!

A friend of mine also underwent this procedure on the NHS for similar reasons.
 
Correct, there can't be a 'cure' for cancer only better prevention, earlier screening and the management of it once diagnosed.

Trying to 'cure' cancer is like trying to 'cure' the onset of old age.

Ok so what your saying is I should have written

"If only we spent as much on beating illnesses instead of war"

Pedantic much

As this is in GD not speakers corner I foolishly assumed that some readers may take the word CURE as a generic fix, cure, rid, exterminate, prevent, etc etc


Anyway
 
Yup... apparently I'm ignorant because I questioned why she had it done. Seemed like it would be better to monitor it and if it happened, then have the options. Just seems incredibly drastic. Perhaps it is more down to the stress of it might happen?

You have to put yourself in her shoes.

There is a large chance that you may develop testicular cancer. The NHS will monitor you regularly though just in case.
But there is a chance that by the time you've developed testicular cancer the cancer MAY have spread to other organs. Unfortunately because it has spread there is nothing they can do for you.

But having your Testicles removed will remove 95% of the chance of the above


I'd have mine whipped out in a flash
 
Yup... apparently I'm ignorant because I questioned why she had it done. Seemed like it would be better to monitor it and if it happened, then have the options. Just seems incredibly drastic. Perhaps it is more down to the stress of it might happen?

I'm not questioning why she had it done. Her reasoning is perfectly sound. Quite a few people with high risk get this done.

I'm just wondering why people are going on about a traumatic emotional experience as if shes suddenly been told she has cancer. She hasn't, she's made a very concious and I would assume well reasoned and thought out decision to have this done.

Brave, yes. But "OMG I can't even think of joking about such a traumatic experience" is taking it a bit far. I assume she feels happier having made the decision to have this done.
 
My Aunt had one taken off as she had cancer, very brave decision for anyone to take. Hats off to her, how easy would it be for a bloke to say "yup just chop the old testicles off will you doc, cheer"
 
I'm not questioning why she had it done. Her reasoning is perfectly sound. Quite a few people with high risk get this done.

I'm just wondering why people are going on about a traumatic emotional experience as if shes suddenly been told she has cancer. She hasn't, she's made a very concious and I would assume well reasoned and thought out decision to have this done.

Must admit, I've never heard of anyone having it done pre-emptively. In the literal sense, that does indeed make me ignorant. (For reference: I personally know a fair few women that have had this op after being diagnosed, and know how mentally gruelling it is, which is why I find it quite shocking to have it done before it is necessary.)
 
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She still has many Tomb Raider films to do...CGI breasts, sounds promising.

I highly doubt she'd be wanted by Hollywood as Lara anymore even with the best implants or CGI in the world. She'll be forever associated with cancer and the mastectomy, which doesn't work well in people's minds when trying to believe in an onscreen superhero.
 
Agreed.

I think anyone in their right mind would choose preemptive treatment to reduce such a high risk. A lot of women haven't had the choose.

It is high risk but the recovery rate past 5 years is also extremely high. Also nearly 90% according to the debate I watched this morning on 'the wright stuff'.

I wonder how much of that 10% who don't live past 5 years are because of the lack of screening early etc.

Not that I'm knocking her decision, she has made it for herself and her family.
 
You have to put yourself in her shoes.

There is a large chance that you may develop testicular cancer. The NHS will monitor you regularly though just in case.
But there is a chance that by the time you've developed testicular cancer the cancer MAY have spread to other organs. Unfortunately because it has spread there is nothing they can do for you.

But having your Testicles removed will remove 95% of the chance of the above


I'd have mine whipped out in a flash

It's a fair point. I would consider such a wealthy woman to have better health care than the average UK Brit however.

EDIT: I just looked up info on her mother, and it seems that she had a decade long battle with ovarian cancer. I would suggest that having had her mother go through that is a large factor as to why she had this done (and more understandable).
 
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