Angelina Jolie

The preventative surgeries aren't over for Angelina Jolie. Yesterday, Angie revealed that she underwent a preventative double mastectomy after discovering that she carries the BRCA1 gene, a rare gene that puts her at a high risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. However, People magazine now reports that she is also planning on undergoing surgery to remove her ovaries. Angie's doctors estimate that she has a 50 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer, the same disease that took the life of her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, back in 2007. Most doctors recommend that patients who want to undergo the preventative surgery do so by age 40 or when a woman is done having children, although it could cause the patient to go into early menopause.

At the moment, Angie and Brad Pitt are focused on spending time with their children. Brad released a statement yesterday, saying that he finds Angie's choice, and similar choices women make, "absolutely heroic." He said, "All I want for is for her to have a long and healthy life, with myself and our children. This is a happy day for our family." Angelina finished her double mastectomy surgeries in April. During that time, she also worked on her philanthropic efforts, including traveling to Africa in March to raise awareness of sexual violence in war zones.

After Angelina Jolie revealed her decision to undergo a double mastectomy in an op-ed piece for The New York Times, she has received an outpouring of support including stars reaching out on Twitter and a statement from her fiancé, Brad Pitt. Brad's mom, Jane, spoke out as well today, saying:

"We're so very proud of Angie, this means so much to our family especially our grandchildren. We love her dearly."

Angelina's brother, James Haven, also shared kind words:

"My sister like our mother always put her children first. I am so grateful to be her brother."

Today, Angelina Jolie announced in a New York Times op-ed piece that she underwent a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery as a preventative measure. Because she inherited a certain "faulty" gene, her risk of breast or ovarian cancer — which her mother died from — was very high.

Mutations in these genes, called BRCA1 and BRCA2, are the most common cause of hereditary breast cancer, which tend to strike younger women. Angelina's risk, which she said was over 80 percent, is typical in many who carry one of these gene mutations. BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are also associated with a high risk of ovarian cancer.

Angelina's difficult decision is one many people who have a high hereditary risk of breast cancer make, since opting for preventative surgery can reduce your risk to much lower levels; post-mastectomy, Angelina says that her breast cancer risk is now under five percent. Last year, for example, Miss America contestant Allyn Rose spoke about her decision to undergo a preventative double mastectomy after the pageant because of her high hereditary risk. In 2008, actress Christina Applegate opted for a double mastectomy, after being diagnosed with cancer in one breast, since testing found that she carried the BRCA1 mutation.

The only way to know if you carry these gene mutations is to get a specific blood test. There are certain patterns that make it more likely that you have these mutations, such as two first-degree relatives (like your mom, daughter, or sister) having breast cancer before age 50, a combination of first- and second-degree relatives (such as a grandmother or aunt) being diagnosed with either breast or ovarian cancer, a first-degree relative diagnosed with cancer in both breasts, or a male relative who was diagnosed with breast cancer. The patterns for those of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, who have a higher risk of inheriting BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations, are different; get the risk pattern lists for everyone here. If an immediate family member is diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer, they are often tested to see if they carry the gene; if they do, you can also undergo testing to see if you also have the mutation. Making the decision to see if you've inherited this gene mutation, and what to do about it, can be difficult; the National Cancer Institute suggests genetic counseling before and after your blood test to help you make the right decision for you and your family.

While you can't change your genetic risk for getting breast cancer, there are some lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk; read our list of 10 things you can do to help prevent breast cancer here.

Brad Pitt has made a statement of his own following his fiancée Angelina Jolie's decision to undergo a double mastectomy. Angelina's article about the procedure was published in today's New York Times, and Brad released a few moving words of his own to UK newspaper The Evening Standard. Brad said:

"Having witnessed this decision firsthand, I find Angie's choice, as well as so many others like her, absolutely heroic. I thank our medical team for their care and focus. All I want for is for her to have a long and healthy life, with myself and our children. This is a happy day for our family."

Angelina, whose decision was prompted by the results of a genetic test and her mother's death from ovarian cancer at age 56, underwent the double mastectomy over the course of this year in LA. Angelina wrote of Brad's unwavering support in the Times, commenting, "I am fortunate to have a partner, Brad Pitt, who is so loving and supportive. . . . Brad was at the Pink Lotus Breast Center, where I was treated, for every minute of the surgeries. We managed to find moments to laugh together. We knew this was the right thing to do for our family and that it would bring us closer. And it has."

Angelina Jolie has undergone a preventive double mastectomy after learning that she was at high risk for breast cancer and ovarian cancer. In an op-ed for The New York Times, Angelina reveals that she made the decision for her family. Angelina opens up about her own mother's death from ovarian cancer at age 56, and how she talks to her kids about their grandmother, saying, "We often speak of 'Mommy's mommy,' and I find myself trying to explain the illness that took her away from us. They have asked if the same could happen to me. I have always told them not to worry, but the truth is I carry a 'faulty' gene, BRCA1, which sharply increases my risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer."

Angelina goes on to describe how the intense process was made easier with Brad by her side:

I am fortunate to have a partner, Brad Pitt, who is so loving and supportive. So to anyone who has a wife or girlfriend going through this, know that you are a very important part of the transition. Brad was at the Pink Lotus Breast Center, where I was treated, for every minute of the surgeries. We managed to find moments to laugh together. We knew this was the right thing to do for our family and that it would bring us closer. And it has.

Read the rest of Angelina's powerful words on NYTimes.com or in the May 14 print edition of The New York Times.