Angelina Jolie Opens Up About Showing Her Mastectomy Scars: What the Life-Saving Procedure Is and Why It’s Done

Angelina Jolie has publicly shown her mastectomy scars in a new interview, more than a decade after she underwent the preventive procedure in 2013. The Oscar-winning actress said in an interview that she opened

up about showing these to the world to share information about them. “I share these scars with many women I love,” she told TIME France in an interview. “And I'm always moved when I see other women share theirs,” Jolie added. Jolie’s mother, actress Marcheline Bertrand, died at the age of 56 in 2007 after being diagnosed with cancer. In 2013, Jolie said doctors told her tests found she had a faulty gene - BRCA1, which significantly increased her risk of breast cancer. In March 2015, Jolie also had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as a preventive measure against developing ovarian cancer.

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What is the BRCA1 gene?

The BRCA1 gene is a tumour suppressor gene that provides instructions for making a protein that helps repair damaged DNA and maintain the stability of a cell's genetic information. Mutations in this gene significantly increase the risk of developing certain cancers, most notably breast and ovarian cancers, and also contribute to a higher risk of pancreatic and prostate cancers.

What is a mastectomy?

A mastectomy is a type of breast cancer surgery that removes all of your breast tissue. Healthcare providers can use it to treat most types of breast cancer. Your provider may also recommend it if you have a high risk of developing breast cancer. If you have breast cancer, removing the cancer cells is the best way to stop it from spreading. A mastectomy removes all the breast tissue where cancer cells are located. After a mastectomy surgery, you may need other cancer treatments to kill any remaining cancer cells in the surrounding tissue.

How to prepare for the surgical procedure?

Before surgery, the doctor would give you a cancer treatment plan, which includes the type of surgery you will have. To restore your breast’s appearance, you may also choose to have breast reconstruction surgery after the mastectomy. Your breast surgeon usually partners with a plastic surgeon who will perform the reconstructive surgery. You will also learn more about what to expect during your recovery. This will help you plan how to manage your daily activities after the surgery. You would need to:

• Quit smoking as it affects your blood flow, makes it harder to heal after surgery, and often limits your options for reconstruction.
• Fasting, as your surgeon would say, is not eating or drinking for a certain number of hours before surgery because it can be unsafe for anesthesia.
• Plan for your hospital stay, as it can manage your work and home responsibilities while you are away.
• Plan for help at home so that someone can stay with you for the first few days at home.

The length of the procedure depends on which type of mastectomy you have. A partial mastectomy may take an hour. A total or double mastectomy may take several hours. If you have reconstructive surgery at the same time, that will make your procedure longer.