New! Sign up for our email newsletter on Substack.

Do You Need A Mastectomy?

Everyone remembers the iconic moment in 2013 when Angelina Jolie underwent a double mastectomy to protect herself from cancer. Jolie had undergone genetic testing, which had revealed that she carried a mutation in the BRCA1 gene that dramatically increased her risk of contracting breast cancer. Jolie’s genetic testing results meant she had an 87% chance of eventually developing breast cancer: a double mastectomy was therefore a much needed measure to protect her from an almost-certain diagnosis.

We live in a celebrity-obsessed society, which meant that Jolie’s procedure attracted a huge amount of press (including a fair share of crazy conspiracy theories). In


Quick Note Before You Read On.

ScienceBlog.com has no paywalls, no sponsored content, and no agenda beyond getting the science right. Every story here is written to inform, not to impress an advertiser or push a point of view.

Good science journalism takes time — reading the papers, checking the claims, finding researchers who can put findings in context. We do that work because we think it matters.

If you find this site useful, consider supporting it with a donation. Even a few dollars a month helps keep the coverage independent and free for everyone.


Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.