Angelina Jolie's Gene Mutation And Surgery - Double Mastectomy!

Angelina Jolie has been the center of attention the last couple of days for raising awareness for women's health issues when she announced she was having preventative surgeries! But some people are still a little unclear about all of the medical jargon that has come along with the news, so here are some important facts to help clear up any lingering confusion: What is a BRCA1 gene? Angelina said she was at high risk of breast and ovarian cancer due to a faulty BRCA1 gene, but not everyone knows exactly what that is. BRCA1 is a gene that everyone has and is responsible for repairing damaged DNA, but a mutation of the gene can cause it to produce protein that greatly increases the risks of cancer. Is it common to have a BRCA1 mutation? Not at all. Less than 1 percent of the U.S. population has a BRCA1 mutation. Can a faulty BRCA1 gene be passed down to my children? Unfortunately, yes. Children can inherit a mutated BRCA1 gene from either their mother OR their father, so if there is a history of cancer or faulty genes in your family it is HIGHLY recommended that you get tested.