Angelina Jolie Breast Cancer Genetic Testing News Contributed In Creating Awareness Among Women

The New York Times published on Op-ed article on May 14, 2013, in which Angelia Jolie announced that she underwent double mastectomy in May 2013, after her doctors identified a mutation in BRCA1 gene in a genetic test. After the news was made public, health officials noted a 64 percent increase in the number of women opting for genetic testing as a method of early diagnosis and prevention of breast cancer and ovary cancer.

Angelina Jolie had earlier lost her mother, grandmother and aunt to ovarian cancer or breast cancer. This made her take the test and find out her vulnerability toward the disease. Angelina Jolie said that, "My doctors estimated that I had an 87 per cent risk of breast cancer and a 50 per cent risk of ovarian cancer...I made a decision to have a preventive double mastectomy" in the article. According to experts, her public disclosure of the information has been instrumental in raising awareness regarding the application of genetic testing for diagnosis of breast cancer, reported Sky News.

The results of a study conducted by Harvard Medical School in Boston, U.S., to find out the rates of genetic testing, specifically for breast cancer, revealed that the rates increased significantly after Angelina Jolie's testimonial was published. However, it was also observed that the rate of genetic testing was not directly proportional to the number of mastectomies, which indicated that women who took the test had low risk of developing breast cancer. According to an article published in The Indian Express, celebrity endorsement of new health care techniques like genetic testing may help in creating awareness and improving the quality and outreach of healthcare services.

Sunita Desai, lead investigator of the project, Harvard Medical School in Boston, U.S., said that, "Our findings underscore celebrity endorsements as a powerful influence on health-related behaviors, but they also show that such endorsements do not necessarily target those most at risk for developing a disease."