Angelina Jolie's mastectomy choice explained

Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie has undergone a double mastectomy to reduce her risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.

Some one in 20 women who develop breast cancer have a mutated version of one of two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2 - Ms Jolie has a faulty BRCA1 gene.

The 37-year-old mother of six, who also has a 50% higher risk of developing ovarian cancer because of the mutation, has suggested she may have her ovaries removed at some point in the future.

Fergus Walsh reports.

  • Subsection
  • Published