Jolie said she had the surgery last week as she carries a gene that gave her a 50% risk of developing ovarian cancer. Two years ago, Jolie, whose mother died from cancer, had a double mastectomy.
"It is not easy to make these decisions," she said. "But it is possible to take control and tackle head-on any health issue."
Jolie, who is married to Hollywood actor Brad Pitt, elected to have her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed after a check-up two weeks ago. In the article, titled Angelina Jolie Pitt: Diary of a Surgery, she said a blood test revealed "a number" of elevated inflammatory markers that could be a sign of early cancer, and was told to see a surgeon immediately.
Brad-Jolie and their kids |
"I went through what I imagine thousands of other
women have felt. I told myself to stay calm, to be strong, and that I
had no reason to think I wouldn't live to see my children grow up and to
meet my grandchildren," Jolie wrote.
"I called my husband in France, who was on a plane within hours. The
beautiful thing about such moments in life is that there is so much
clarity. You know what you live for and what matters. It is polarizing,
and it is peaceful."
Further tests revealed Jolie was free of a
tumour, but elected to have her ovaries removed after consulting
doctors. Her mother, grandmother and aunt all died of the disease.
"My
doctors indicated I should have preventive surgery about a decade
before the earliest onset of cancer in my female relatives," wrote
Jolie.
"My mother's ovarian cancer was diagnosed when she was 49. I'm 39."
Writing
about the procedure, saying: "It is a less complex surgery than the
mastectomy, but its effects are more severe. It puts a woman into forced
menopause."
Jolie, who is also a director and UN envoy, will now take hormone replacements.
"Regardless of the hormone replacements I'm taking, I am now in menopause," Jolie said.
"I
will not be able to have any more children, and I expect some physical
changes. But I feel at ease with whatever will come, not because I am
strong but because this is a part of life. It is nothing to be feared."
Charity Ovarian Cancer Action has praised Jolie's decision and "bravery".
"We
applaud Angelina Jolie's decision to announce that she has had
preventative surgery for ovarian cancer and are anticipating another
wave of the 'Angelina Effect', which saw a dramatic increase in the
number of women referred for genetic testing after Angelina announced
that she had undergone a double mastectomy in 2013," said Katherine
Taylor, the charity's acting chief executive.
"While all women
in the UK have a one in 54 chance of developing ovarian cancer, for
those with a mutation in their BRAC1/2 genes, like Angelina Jolie, the
risk increases to one in two.
"If women know they have BRCA gene
mutations, they can choose to take action before cancer develops, much
like Angelina has. Her bravery to announce this news publicly could save
lives."
Jolie, who is married to actor Brad Pitt, has six children, three of whom are adopted.
The
Oscar-winning Hollywood star added: "It is not possible to remove all
risk, and the fact is I remain prone to cancer. I will look for natural
ways to strengthen my immune system. I feel feminine, and grounded in
the choices I am making for myself and my family.
"I know my children will never have to say: "Mom died of ovarian cancer."
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