Aunt 'welcomed' Angelina Jolie's anti-cancer steps, says widower

Angelina Jolie's aunt has died of breast cancer, nearly two weeks after the Hollywood star said she had had a double mastectomy to avoid such a fate.

Debbie Martin passed away at the Palomar Medical Centre in Escondido on Sunday, aged 61.

She was the sister of Angelina Jolie's mother Marcheline Bertrand, who died of breast cancer in 2007 at the age of 56. Both women had the same mutated BRCA1 gene.

Mr Martin praised the actress for electing to have the surgery, saying it was comforting to his wife that Angelina had taken steps to save her own life.