London - Angelina Jolie’s openness about her decision to have both her breasts removed has inspired growing numbers of British women to have the same life-saving operation.
The actress, 40, announced in May 2013 that she had the surgery to prevent her developing breast cancer, after finding out faulty DNA gave her an 87 percent chance of the disease.
It is thought this raised awareness of the procedure and removed some of the stigma and fear that surrounds it.
Referrals for genetic testing more than doubled, and a leading clinic in Manchester said they carried out 83 double mastectomies in the 18 months from January 2014 – almost treble the figure for the previous 18 months.
Many of these women had the same gene as Miss Jolie, the journal Breast Cancer Research reports.
Daily Mail