I just read the story. I don't know what to think. I know I would not have done that if it were me, but I wish her luck. Here's another article on her and some comments from a doctor.
http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/14/18250762-more-women-opting-for-preventive-mastectomy-but-should-they-beAngelina Jolie's surprising announcement that she'd had both breasts removed to reduce her risk of getting cancer has brought renewed attention to the controversial procedure.
Rates of women who are opting for preventive mastectomies have increased by an estimated 50 percent in recent years, experts say. And surveys show they are happy with the decision.
But many doctors are puzzled because the operation doesn't carry a 100 percent guarantee, it's major surgery -- and women have other options, from a once-a-day pill to careful monitoring. Women can take tamoxifen or one of several newer drugs called aromatase inhibitors and reduce their risk by as much as 50 percent.
In Jolie's case, her decision was "absolutely indicated," said Tuttle. At 37, Jolie is young to worry about breast cancer.
But why are so many women opting for surgery when survival rates for breast cancer are 93 percent if it’s caught at the earliest stages and 88 percent at stage 1?
“I have postulated that one of the downsides of breast cancer awareness is that there is a situation of hyperawareness. Women in the United States are just assuming they are going to get breast cancer,” Tuttle says. The actual rate is about 12 percent. About 1 in 8 U.S. women will develop breast cancer, and while 230,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer last year, just under 40,000 died of it.