Angelina Jolie has revealed that she has undergone another preventive surgery in hopes of reducing her risk of cancer.
In an op-ed piece in the New York Times, the 39-year-old actress – who lost her mother, grandmother and aunt to the disease – has shared that she removed her ovaries and fallopian tubes after a blood test showed markers that could be a sign of early cancer.
“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,” the actress-director wrote.
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Once the Oscar winner found out, husband Brad Pitt, who was in France at the time, immediately flew to see her.
“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,” she wrote.
Angelina, who underwent a preventive double mastectomy two years ago, sought out the same surgeon who had treated her mother Marcheline. The actress’ mother died of ovarian cancer in 2007.
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“I last saw her the day my mother passed away, and she teared up when she saw me: ‘You look just like her.’ I broke down. But we smiled at each other and agreed we were there to deal with any problem, so ‘let’s get on with it,'” she wrote.
Nothing concerning appeared in the exam or the ultrasound for the actress, but she then had to wait another five days for further test results.
“I passed those five days in a haze, attending my children’s soccer game, and working to stay calm and focused,” she explained.
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The results came in and the actress was relieved, but she chose to have surgery anyway.
“The day of the results came. The PET/CT scan looked clear, and the tumor test was negative. I was full of happiness, although the radioactive tracer meant I couldn’t hug my children. There was still a chance of early stage cancer, but that was minor compared with a full-blown tumor. To my relief, I still had the option of removing my ovaries and fallopian tubes and I chose to do it,” she wrote. “Last week, I had the procedure: a laparoscopic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. There was a small benign tumor on one ovary, but no signs of cancer in any of the tissues.”
The actress explained that she could still face the risk of cancer at some point.
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“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,'” she continued.
The mother of six also revealed another major impact from her surgery.
“I am now in menopause. 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,” Angelina wrote.
Adding, “I feel deeply for women for whom this moment comes very early in life, before they have had their children. Their situation is far harder than mine. I inquired and found out that there are options for women to remove their fallopian tubes but keep their ovaries, and so retain the ability to bear children and not go into menopause. I hope they can be aware of that.”
— Jesse Spero
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